The Maharashtra Government has approved a proposal to recruit nearly 40 personnel and install 132 CCTV cameras on the premises of the Regional Mental Hospital in Yerawada where four patients recently went missing.
Superintendent of the hospital, Dr Shrinivas Kolod, said the government recently approved an administrative proposal to ramp up security measures at the hospital. “At present, we have 15 security personnel. We had submitted a proposal for recruiting more personnel and the overall strength will be expanded to 53,” Dr Kolod said, adding that the CCTV cameras will be set up soon.
According to Vijay Thakar, Inspector (Crime), Yerawada police station, four missing-person cases have been registered this year in connection with the disappearance of patients at the Regional Mental Hospital. “The probe is currently on in the cases registered on July 29 and August 1. In the two other cases, registered on January 6 and June 5, the patients have been traced,” he said.
Following the incidents, hospital authorities suspended six attendants and issued show-cause notices seeking to know why action should not be initiated against them.
According to Dr Kolod, a 37-year-old man from Nanded, diagnosed with schizophrenia, went missing on July 29 after being admitted to the hospital the previous day.
On August 1, three people from Solapur who had undergone behavioural therapy and counselling for alcohol dependency syndrome and substance abuse in the de-addiction ward were reported missing. “We were informed that the three reached their homes in Solapur. We have instructed the family to bring them back to the institution,” Dr Kolod said.
Of the 951 patients on the campus, 317 are women. Hospital authorities said that following state Health Minister Prakash Abitkar’s visit earlier this year, they had revised the timings of the Out Patient Department (OPD) and submitted a proposal for additional staff and security personnel at the hospital that is spread across 86 acres.
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Meanwhile, at least eight posts of psychiatrists continue to remain vacant at the hospital, besides two posts of clinical psychologists. Additionally, while the facility employs 480 attendants, at least 92 attendant positions are still open.
