Puttaparthy tense as Sai Baba remains critical

Amid growing concern over the health of Sathya Sai Baba, police have tightened the security arrangements in his ashram town Puttaparthy in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday and imposed section 144.

Devotees have flooded the town after hearing reports about the critical condition of Sai Baba, undergoing treatment at the Sri Satya Sai superspecialty hospital.

Important political leaders have also started making a beeline to the town to see Sai Baba. Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and leader of opposition N Chandrababu Naidu will be among the VIPs visiting the town on Tuesday.

While the chief minister had a meeting with the officials to review the situation and discussed the health condition of Sai Baba, Chandrababu Naidu spoke to the officials of the Sri Satya Sai Baba trust.

Major industries minister Dr J Geeta Reddy, who is camping at Puttaparthy for the last four days, was keeping the chief minister informed about Sai Baba's condition.

Meanwhile, in the latest medical bulletin issued on Tuesday, doctors have said that their was slight improvement in Sai Baba's condition and his vital organs were stable. He continues to be on the ventilator, said A N Safaya, director, SSSIHML.

He appealed to the people to pray for the recovery of Sai Baba.

Thousands of devotees who have gathered in the town were becoming restive as they were not satisfied with the statements of the doctors and wanted to see Sai Baba.

Police were not allowing anybody near the hospital. They have set up checkposts all over the town and in view of the growing number of visitors, vehicles were also not being permitted into the town.  

Safaya said that Sai Baba was conscious and his heartbeat and blood pressure levels were normal. However, as kidneys were not functioning normally, doctors were performing dialysis.

"We are not allowing anybody into the ICU as it can cause further infections", he said.

Meanwhile, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan is also arriving in Puttparthy later on Tuesday to see Sai Baba.

In view of the tense situation in Puttparthy, additional police forces were being rushed from Chittoor district.

Restless crowds of devotees indulged in stone pelting on vehicles and targeted the government officials and the journalists demanding the correct information.

Anantapur District Collector Janardhan Reddy were among the officials whose vehicles were blocked by the crowds. He was forced to go back from Puttparthy.