Bihar Human Rights Commission seeks report on chaining of mentally challenged prisoner

PATNA: Bihar Human Rights Commission (BHRC) has taken cognizance of a case in which a mentally-challenged undertrial prisoner was kept chained in a government hospital in Araria district for over two weeks and has sought report from the District Magistrate by June 12.

The incident came to light yesterday when photographs of 28-year-old Arvind Kumar Yadav surfaced showing him stretched on the floor of a room in Araria sadar hospital with his both hands and legs handcuffed and tied separately.

He was diagnosed by doctors as being 'mentally unfit' and referred to a facility in Bhagalpur.

Yadav, a resident of Raniganj area in the district, was arrested on the charge of committing some petty crimes and forwarded to jail. His mental condition deteriorated there.

Taking cognizance of the matter, BHRC chairperson Justice (Retd) Bilal Nazki said "It appears that the person who was mentally challenged was referred to hospital where he was chained. Reports suggest that District Magistrate Narendra Kumar Singh was aware of the facts of the matter."

Nazki directed BHRC Deputy Secretary to contact Singh over phone and inform him about the Commission taking cognizance of the matter.

"The Commission has sought a report from the DM in writing by June 12 positively," Nazki said.

BHRC officials said the police and other officials escorting the undertrial need prior permission from court to use handcuffs, chains or ropes on persons under custody.

Besides, this was not the way mentally-challenged persons should be kept or treated in a hospital, they added.