Founder of popular south Indian food chain Saravana Bhavan P Rajagopal passed away on Thursday morning after suffering a heart attack.

The dosa king, Rajagopal, was admitted to a private hospital after suffering from a heart attack on Saturday. Rajagopal was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of one of his employees and surrendered last week hours after the Supreme Court rejected his plea seeking more time.

SC upholds life sentence to Sarvana Bhavan owner P Rajagopal in 2001 murder case

Rajagopal, 71, had sought that he be exempted from being sent to jail and his hospitalisation be treated as a deemed jail term. The court had refused the plea.

The founder of the restaurant chain popular in the country and overseas, he was sentenced by a sessions court to a 10 year jail term on charges of killing Santhakumar, whose wife he wanted to make his third wife.