Veteran Marxist leader and former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu was put on ventilator this morning after his condition turned serious.
Superintendent of AMRI hospital in Salt Lake, Debashish Sharma, where Basu is admitted, said, "He has been put on ventilatory support this morning and his condition has turned serious".
96-year-old Basu, who was admitted to the hospital on Friday last following a "moderately severe" pneumonic infection, is under special observation at the ICCU, Sharma said.
A special medical board has been constituted to review Basu's condition.
Dr A K Maity, Basu's personal physician and also a member of the board, said his condition was "unstable".