THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Oct 1: Overcrowding of the criminal cell at the mental hospital at Peroorkada here has caused severe consternation to the inmates. Several violent clashes were reported from the cell and many inmates injured in such incidents.The case of K G Ramachandran Nair (59) gives a picture of the pathetic conditions prevailing in the hospital.Nair, a resident of Pachallur and retired employee of BHEL, was arrested by the local police on July 25, after he was found to be behaving in an erratic manner. He was produced in the court and later admitted to the mental hospital at Peroorkada on July 26.Meanwhile, his family members lodged a complaint of `man missing' with the police. However, they were later informed that Nair had been admitted to a mental hospital.The incident took a turn for the worse when Nair, who was lodged in the criminal cell of the mental hospital, sustained multiple fractures of ribs following a scuffle with some inmates of the cell. The assault took place sometime around midnight. But the hospital authorities came to know about the incident only the next day, following which Nair was rushed to the Medical College Hospital here. He remained under treatment for nearly two weeks and was discharged on August 8. Nair's family members said that he complained of difficulty in breathing afterwards. He died at his home on August 10. Though the then medical superintendent of the mental hospital, Raveendran Nair, conducted a preliminary inquiry immediately after the incident and informed the higher authorities about the matter, the District Medical Officer B Mahilamony initiated a departmental inquiry only on September 26. The DMO visited the hospital and took the statements of a cross-section of staff members. Her report will be submitted to the court and higher authorities shortly.According to Medical College Hospital doctors, though Nair had sustained serious fractures of ribs, his condition was allright at the time of discharge. However, the patient was in a state of depression and had even avoided food when he was undergoing treatment at the hospital, they said.The family members alleged that Nair sustained injuries due to manhandling by the mental hospital staff, which the latter denied vehemently. His family also did not agree for a post-mortem.Sources said Raveendran Nair stated in his report that the incident could have been avoided had the hospital staff been more vigilant. He also pointed out that the existing conditions in the hospital's criminal cell were pathetic.The criminal cell, which is ward No 6 of the mental hospital, has a capacity of 22 patients. However, at any given time there are about 90 patients in the ward. Clashes among the inmates, stuffed in the cell like a pack of sardines, have become a common thing. Psychiatrists point out that most of the patients admitted to the criminal cell have violent tendencies and therefore ``should be kept under close vigil especially during night.'' However, the existing staff strength in the hospital, which is one of the biggest mental asylums in the state, is grossly inadequate for this.Though several committees recommended that facilities at the hospital should be improved, changes are yet to take place. Recently a commission appointed by the HC visited the hospital and suggested several measures to improve conditions. As president of Pouravakasha Samithy, Muraleedharan, who is also inquiring into the Ramachandran episode, pointed out, ``Conditions are very poor. Something needs to be done on war-footing.''
