After President Pranab Mukherjee heard the news of the demise of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha, he took an Indian Air Force plane to Chennai for her funeral. But he had to return mid-way after the plane faced a technical snag.

"Within 30 minutes of take-off from the Palam Technical Area, the aircraft developed a technical problem and returned to base", sources said.

The aircraft had was on the way when the snag was detected. At that time the aircraft had reached Agra. After deboarding the plane in Delhi, Pranab Mukherjee took another plane and flew to Chennai to pay last respects to Jayalalithaa.

Mukherjee had also expressed his condolences on Twitter and said that "she was a fighter having a wonderful mastery of facts and theories."

Speaking to ANI in Delhi, the President remembered Jayalalithaa coming inside the Rajya Sabha when he was the Leader of the House around early 1980's.

"On many occasions I had interactions with her on all subjects concerning development and administration. She had a wonderful mastery of facts and theories," he said ahead of his departure to Chennai, where he will pay his last respects to Jayalalithaa.

Asserting that she was a fighter who fought till her last breath, President Mukherjee further said that "she fought against the cruelty of disease and suffering."

"All other battles she won, but perhaps everybody has to lose one battle and she has lost that," he said.

According to the press release by Apollo Hospital in Chennai, Jayalalithaa passed away at 11:30 pm on Monday night after suffering a cardiac arrest on Sunday night. Her funeral will be held at Marina beach in Chennai at 4:30 pm on Tuesday.

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BY M. DIVYA SRI