Ramdev taken to hospital, forced to end fast

Baba Ramdev has been hospitalised after his health deteriorated rapidly as his fast-unto-death against corruption and black money entered the seventh day on June 10 at the Patanjali Yogpeeth in Haridwar. The Haridwar district administration decided to shift Ramdev to the Jolly Grant Hospital in Dehradun due to better medical facilities there. He was also administered glucose by the doctors that ended his fast.

"Baba Ramdev agreed to be shifted to the hospital. Baba Ramdev has been shifted to Jolly Grant Hospital in Dehradun in an ambulance. The ambulance has ICU facilities. The CMO is accompanying him. Glucose has been administered to Baba Ramdev. We shifted Baba Ramdev to hospital only after his consent. We went by the advice of the doctors attending him," said Haridwar District Magistrate R Meenakshi Sundaram.

Doctors had earlier told Ramdev to break his fast as he had been losing weight and his blood pressure was also dropping.

Haridwar district officials including Sundaram negotiated with Ramdev's associates at the Patanjali Yogpeeth where Ramdev has been fasting to admit him to a hospital.

Doctors fear that Ramdev's health could deteriorate further if his blood pressure and pulse rate continue to slide. Reports say that the yoga guru's blood pressure has fallen to 104/70, and his pulse rate is 58 per minute.

"As Baba Ramdev's health is deteriorating, he should stop his hunger strike immediately. We have requested him to stop his strike," said Dr Yogesh Chandra Sharma, the Chief Medical Officer of Haridwar, on Friday.

Dr Sharma said, "We want to admit him to the ICU so that we can do a heart checkup and other checkups on him." If Ramdev refuses to take glucose on Friday, the doctors will forcibly give it to him, Dr Sharma added.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh could also step in and appeal to Ramdev to end the fast. Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is likely to speak to Singh after a meeting with Swami Agnivesh.

Meanwhile, spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar will be going to Haridwar to meet the yoga guru. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is going to try and persuade Ramdev to end his fast.

Baba Ramdev has been continuing his fast against corruption and black money at Patanjali Peeth in Haridwar after he was externed from Delhi last week, following crackdown by the Delhi Police at his fast venue Ramlila Grounds.