Mentally disabled woman 'chained', alleges molestation in rehab centre

Hyderabad: Rehab centers are meant to serve the abandoned and aged who have been isolated from their families, but a particular rehab from Hyderabad is in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.

A young woman was found chained and naked in the rehab center, 'Aram Ghar'.

According to Renuka (victim) she wants to live with her parents and wants to go to the place where she can play happily.

"A person at night comes and touches me, but I cannot catch him because there is no light in the room," she said.

However, Superintendent of 'Aram Ghar', Basha said that Renuka is mentally disable due to which her mood will change every hour.

"She will be good for some time and suddenly in the next moment she will become wild. In December, 2014 the police admitted her here. I have many times said not to chain her but the maid does it," he added.

But after watching all the videos, senior psychiatrist Dr. Prasad Rao said that it can't be even said she is mentally ill.

"How they are claiming that she is mentally retarded, and where is humanity going. We don't even chain the mental patients in the extreme conditions," Rao asserted.

Earlier in April, the apex court showed its readiness to evolve a mechanism for rehabilitation of people discharged from mental asylums, whose kith and kin have been unwilling to take them back after their recovery.

A bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar issued notice to the Union Health Ministry saying the issue figured in the concurrent list of the Constitution and hence the Centre also has the authority to frame norms.

The court had earlier asked the Centre to frame guidelines for rehabilitation of persons who have been cured of mental illness, observing that it was a very sensitive matter.

The apex court had earlier favoured framing of a uniform national policy to deal with those suffering from mental illness and their release from hospitals after being cured.