Masses of grieving supporters wailed beat their chests and cast flowers on Tuesday as actress-turned-politician Jayaram Jayalalithaa, one of India's most powerful leaders, was buried on the shorefront in Chennai.

CHENNAI, Dec 6: The party of Jayalalithaa Jayaram, a powerful politician who died on Monday, appointed a loyalist to lead Tamil Nadu and keep her supporters together as thousands of them grieved in the streets.

One of India's most popular politicians, Jayalalithaa Jayaraman, died on Monday following a massive cardiac arrest, setting off an outpouring of grief among thousands of supporters gathered outside.

Trouble erupted outside the Apollo Hospital here on Monday after Sun TV reported that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa was dead.

The life of the leader of Tamil Nadu hung in the balance on Monday after she went into cardiac arrest, drawing large crowds to the hospital where doctors were fighting to save the hugely popular former actress.