28 lunatics in Sajiwa jail to be transferred to Ranchi

IMPHAL, March 5: Twentyeight lunatics currently lodged in Sajiwa Central Jail, Sajiwa are to be transferred to the Ranchi Institute of Neuro-Psychiatry and Allied Science, Kanke for medical treatment as the facilities for their treatment do not exist in Manipur, the state home department has informed the Manipur Human Rights Commission. The Home Department, in a letter, also informed that a sum of Rs 50,736 has been sanctioned to meet the expenses for the transfer of the mentally ill inmates. On the other hand, according to Commission sources, the deputy secretary, health, has furnished the information that a 50-bedded psychiatric ward exists at RIMS Hospital, Lamphelpat, while six beds including two for female patients have been made available to the psychiatry department of JN Hospital. In this respect, the commission has asked the special secretary home, to submit a report on the practicability or otherwise of treatment of lunatic jail inmates at the RIMS psychiatry ward or at JN Hospital. The report is to be furnished within March 28. The Commission has also made recommendation to the state government for establishment and maintenance of a psychiatric hospital/nursing home for the treatment and care of mentally ill persons. Notices have been issued to the commissioner (home) and secretary (health), for information and report. It may be recalled that the members of the Commission, while making a visit to Sajiwa Central jail in January 1999, found 35 lunatics being detained in both the male and female sections of the jail in violation of pronouncements of the Supreme Court. The Commission had then observed that the lunatic prisoners should be sent to the lunatic asylum as they should not be kept in jail along with other inmates, and until then a psychiatric specialist should be deputed to treat them in jail. The IG, prisons, had reported that no psychiatrist had ever visited the jail even though the commissioner (health) and the director of health services issued instructions to the superintendent, JN Hospital, to detail a psychiatrist for the purpose.