Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

`Admit wandering mentally ill to hospitals'

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI May 16. The State Human Rights Commission has ordered the city Commissioner of Police to instruct his subordinates to take steps for admitting mentally ill patients found wandering in city streets to psychiatric hospitals/nursing homes after observing all legal formalities.

The commission member, S. Sambandham, passed the order on a complaint filed by S. Gnaneswaran, advocate of Purasawalkam, who said several mentally ill persons were wandering in the streets. Nobody took care of their daily needs, such as food, shelter, dress and medical treatment. The wandering of such persons in a pitiable condition went against human rights and violated Articles 21 and 32. These people should be taken care of immediately,the advocate submitted quoting the relevant provisions in the Mental Health Act 1987. The Health Secretary, the Inspector-General of Police, Chennai, and the Commissioner of Police, were cited as respondents.

The member said the Commissioner should send the action taken report to the SHRC on or before June 10.

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