Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Cured, but a cruel world beckons

Thiruvananthapuram: After spending ten years inside the high security walls of the forensic ward, life outside must seem quite strange for Mathew Vaidyan, Vinod and Thomas Ninan. Predictably, none of their families were there to welcome them.

But as they stepped outside the gates of the Mental Health Centre, Sr. Gladys was there with the soothing words. “Everything will be alright. We are happy to give you a new life.”

On the eve of the World Mental Health Day, three male prisoners from the forensic ward of the MHC and six women from the Chronic Female Ward, walked out with much hope and apprehension in their hearts, to a new life.

Mathew Vaidyan, a native of Sasthamkotta, Kollam, has been at the MHC since 1995. He was convicted for murdering his father but was acquitted of the crime after it was found that he was schizophrenic. He was sent to MHC for treatment.

Mr. Vaidyan had been working in the U.S., where his wife Rachel and two children are now. The incident took place when he came home for vacation. He had been under treatment for mental illness but the medicines were discontinued as he assumed that he was well.

He does not remember why or how he committed murder because he was in a deluded state. His brother used to visit him once in a while, but the family was not willing to take him back even though the medical board agreed to release him.

The story is no different for Vinod, who burned down his house or Thomas Ninan, who is guilty of murdering his brother’s wife.

They are all paranoid schizophrenics, whose illnesses were never identified and treated or as in the case of Vaidyan, went into relapse after discontinuing medication. After long-term treatment, doctors were willing to release them but could not do so unless someone came forward to execute a bond that they will take responsibility for the patients.

Sr. Gladys of Snehalaya, a rehabilitation centre near Kaniyapuram, agreed to execute the bond for the three. The release order was issued by the Home Department two weeks ago.

“They are scared to go back to their home town. Their illness has been controlled through medication which has to be taken without fail, all their life. They also have to report for follow-ups,” S. Subhash, Dy. Superintendent, MHC, said.

The six women who were released are from Bihar and UP. They were brought here by the police after they were found wandering in a mentally deranged state in the city.

When they came to MHC they remembered nothing about their families. Later, they could recollect the details. Most are married with children and were pining to get back home. Two employees of the MHC boarded a train to the North on Tuesday, with the inmates, in the hope that they could be re-united with their families.

They will seek the assistance of the local police in getting these women to their homes as the addresses are incomplete.

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