Doctors conduct tests as state battles severe floods
CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was admitted to Fortis Hospital in Mohali on Friday after his health worsened. Sources said he had been feeling unwell for the past two days and was taking medicines at home. As his condition did not improve, doctors advised him to be hospitalized for proper check-up and treatment.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office, Mann is undergoing several medical tests. Doctors have said he is stable, but the exact reason for his illness has not been made public yet. Last year, in September 2024, Mann was treated at the same hospital after being diagnosed with leptospirosis, a bacterial infection. It is still not clear if his current health issue is linked to that illness or not.
The initial reports suggest that he developed fever and was unable to accompany AAP’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal during his visit to floods affected areas.
Mann’s health concerns come at a time when Punjab is struggling with floods that have hit more than 1,000 villages and displaced over 2.5 lakh people. The Chief Minister has been leading relief and rescue work, personally visiting flood-affected areas like Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, and Pathankot. He even donated his helicopter for rescue missions and gave one month’s salary to support flood victims.
Under his leadership, the Aam Aadmi Party government has evacuated over 15,000 people and sheltered more than 7,000 in relief camps. Mann has promised compensation to affected families within 15 days and has also urged the central government to release ₹60,000 crore for recovery work.
AAP’s senior leader Arvind Kejriwal visited Mann’s house on September 4 to check on his health. Meanwhile, a planned cabinet meeting has been postponed. Opposition leaders, including Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa, have demanded regular health updates from the government.
The Punjab government has assured that relief operations will continue without interruption while the Chief Minister receives treatment.
