Kerala HC upholds the right to privacy and dignity of the mentally challenged

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Gopika Govindan Vs. State of Kerala and Anor The Petitioner,Gopika Govindan,D/O Mr.Govindan,aged 26 years, coordinator of child rights initiatives, SLIC filed a petition on 19/01/16 against the two respondents- 1.state of Kerala,represented by principal secretary, Ministry of social welfare, Trivandrum and 2.the Superintendent, Trissur mental hospital, Trissur. In this petition, the petitioner approached the High court against the forcible admission of allegedly mentally ill inmates without any shred of clothes. In here the petitioner is giving two similar instance occurred at Trissur mental hospital.in first case,a women facing visible signs of mental stress and trauma was sent to Trissur mental hospital for observation of 10 days in petition bearing CMP no:3450/2015.But she were placed in the naked cell for two days to observe whether she had any suicidal tendencies and only then she would be shifted. Similar case reported by Mathrubhumi daily dated 19/01/16.In that case also a girl child becomes a victim of sexual assault by the Trissur mental hospital. In such a situation, the petitioner filed an interlocutory petition in High court to immediately cease the confinement of inmates without any clothes which denied the right to privacy and dignity guaranteed to patients with mental illness and impunity. Status A direction was passed that mental health patients will no longer be confined without any clothes.