Delhi's 'Baba ka Dhaba' owner critical but stable
New Delhi: South Delhi eatery 'Baba ka Dhaba' owner Kanta Prasad's condition is still critical, Safdarjung Hospital sources said on Saturday, two days after he allegedly attempted suicide.
He is on ventilator and his condition is critical but stable, hospital sources said.
Prasad, 81, attempted suicide on Thursday. The reason behind his extreme step is not yet known, police said.
"On Thursday at 11.15 pm, information was received from the Safdarjung Hospital that Prasad was admitted there. Police reached the hospital and collected the MLC (medico-legal case), which states the intake of alcohol and sleeping pills as the cause of unconsciousness," Deputy Commissioner of Police (south) Atul Kumar Thakur had said.
The statement of Prasad's son Karan was recorded. He said his father consumed alcohol with sleeping pills, the police said, adding that further inquiry is underway.
Speaking to reporters, Prasad's wife had said she had "no idea" about what her husband consumed.
"I am clueless about what happened to him. I was at the dhaba. He fainted and we took him to the hospital around 4 pm (on Thursday). No one has told us anything about his condition," she had said.
Prasad shot into the limelight last year when a video of him tearfully talking about the lack of customers at his eatery and his financial woes went viral, triggering an outpouring of support in cash and kind from all over the country. The video was shot and uploaded by YouTuber Gaurav Wasan.
Later, the octogenarian filed a complaint against Wasan for alleged misappropriation of funds raised through donations.
Prasad went on to open a restaurant. However, he faced losses and had to shut it.
Recently, Prasad returned to his dhaba and apologised to Wasan. The YouTuber visited Prasad and accepted his apology.
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NDA to boycott Feb 5 TN bypoll, says BJP leader Annamalai
The BJP-led NDA has decided to boycott the Erode East bypoll scheduled for February 5 and would focus on dethroning the ruling DMK in the hustings next year, the saffron party's state unit said on Sunday.
The BJP's announcement virtually makes the election a no-contest as the main opposition AIADMK and the DMDK have already announced boycotting the byelections necessitated by the death of Congress MLA EVKS Elangovan. The DMK has nominated VC Chandrakumar on behalf of its-led bloc, which also has the Congress in the alliance.
BJP TN chief K Annamalai said the upcoming elections were a “byelection for a byelection”, following the bypoll held here in 2022. He recalled there were accusations of the ruling DMK then "confining" people at designated places.
The NDA faced the DMK violating poll rules due to the "arrogance" of being the ruling party.
"The coming 2026 Assembly polls are one meant to remove the DMK (from the ruling saddle), and the NDA is moving towards that target and does not want to allow the DMK to confine people like cattle once again," he said in a statement.
"All leaders of the NDA who wish for people's welfare, after detailed consultation, have decided to boycott the Erode East bypoll. Our target is to remove the DMK in the 2026 elections and give the NDA's good governance to people," Annamalai said.
The state has been pushed to a "dark period" with no safety for various sections of society and the DMK government was an "anti-people" one where law and order has also failed, the former IPS officer alleged.
NDA constituents in the state include Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK).
Incidentally, the AIADMK that was a part of the NDA in 2022 had fielded its nominee in that year's bypoll to Erode East seat but lost to Congress' Elangovan, who faced the elections following the death of his son and local MLA E Thirumahan Everaa.
