End of an era: DMK President M Karunanidhi passes away at 94

Muthuvel Karunanidhi, 94, the five-time chief minister of Tamil Nadu and president of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) passed away in Chennai on Tuesday. He entered the 50th year as the president of DMK late last month, the longest tenure by a person as head of one of Tamil Nadu's major Dravidian parties.

"With deep anguish, we announce the demise of our beloved Kalaignar Dr M Karunanidhi on August 7, 2018 at 6.10 p.m. Despite the best possible efforts by our team of doctors and nurses to resuscitate him, he failed to respond," said a release by Chennai's Kauvery Hospital, where he was undergoing treatment.

Authorities, apprehensive about law and order problems, stepped up security in Tamil Nadu, especially in capital Chennai, after Karunanidhi's death. Shops, theatres and hotels downed shutters, and offices asked people to leave early as a large number of DMK supporters thronged the hospital.