Rajagopal, the founder of the Saravana Bhavan chain of restaurants passed away due to cardiac arrest this morning. Born in rural Tamilndu into a very poor family of farmers, and with hardly any education, Rajagopal nevertheless prospered as a businessman and built a vastly popular restaurant chain which is now spread across the world. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in an abduction and murder case.
Rajagopal, who was admitted to Stanley Medical College Hospital, Chennai owing to health complications was shifted to a private hospital recently after his son requested the court to grant him permission to move his father to a private hospital, after he claimed that Stanley hospital did not have adequate facilities to treat Rajagopal.
Rajagopal was convicted to ten years rigorous imprisonment by a sessions court for the abduction and murder of a man named Prince Santhakumar in 2001. Rajagopal allegedly wanted to marry Jeevajyothi, Santhakumar's wife, based on the advice of an astrologer. Despite Jeevajyothi's resistance, Rajagopal continued to pursue and harass her and her husband.
