Former President Pranab Mukherjee's health remains critical, still on ventilator support

New Delhi, Aug 14: The Army's Research and Referral Hospital on Friday said that former president Pranab Mukherjee's condition remains critical, and he continues to be on ventilator support. On August 10, the 84-year-old Bharat Ratna recipient underwent brain surgery to remove a blood clot. He had also tested positive for COVID-19.

On Thursday, Mukherjee's son and Congress leader Abhijit Mukherjee dismissed news reports of his father's death, saying the former president was "still alive and haemodynamically stable".

"My father Shri Pranab Mukherjee is still alive and haemodynamically stable! Speculations and fake news being circulated by reputed Journalists on social media clearly reflects that Media in India has become a factory of Fake News," Abhijeet wrote on Twitter.

Meanwhile, a 72-hour 'yagna' was performed in Mukherjee's hometown Kirnahar in West Bengal's Birbhum district for his speedy recovery. Residents of Kirnahar and Mukherjee's extended family members started the 'yagna' on the occasion of Janmashtami on Tuesday.

"The yajna at Japeswar Shiva Mandir began on the auspicious day of Janmashtami and it will go on uninterrupted for three days. The Mahamritunjay yajna will surely ensure quick recovery of Pranab babu, who is the son of Kirnahar," the chief priest said.

On Wednesday, Mukherjee's daughter, Sharmistha Mukherjee took to Twitter and prayed for his recovery. "Last year, August 8 was one of the happiest day for me as my dad received Bharat Ratna. Exactly a year later, on August 10, he fell critically ill. May God do whatever is best for him and give me strength to accept both joys and sorrows of life with equanimity. I sincerely thank all 4 their concerns," she tweeted.