Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Man With Mental Illness Sent To Pune's Yerawada Hospital

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Yogesh Khotkar, a man with mental illness residing within the jurisdiction of the City Chowk Police Station, had been suffering from a mental illness for the past 13 years.

Following the death of his parents, his condition deteriorated severely as there was no one to look after him. He would vandalise his own home, smash household items and even damage the walls. He would roam around naked, harass women, assault people with a stick and damage parked vehicles. He would shout loudly and hurl obscenities, and his menacing behaviour made it difficult for women to even step out of their homes.

Despite the police repeatedly admonishing him following a rising number of complaints lodged at the City Chowk Police Station, there was no change in his behaviour.

The police informed Sumit Pandit, a social worker with the 'Su-Lakshmi Sevabhavi Sanstha', an organisation dedicated to assisting people with mental illness. Sumit immediately visited the City Chowk Police Station and located Khotkar in the Naralibag area. However, taking him into custody proved to be a highly difficult task.

Due to his violent behaviour, he would not let anyone come near him, making it difficult to transport him to Pune for treatment. Sumit consulted psychiatrists at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).

Later, with the assistance of the police, the 'Manushki' team took him into custody at City Chowk after restraining his hands and legs. He was examined by a psychiatrist at GMCH, who recommended that he be transferred to the Regional Mental Hospital in Pune's Yerawada for further treatment. Following the completion of the necessary legal formalities, members of the 'Manushki' team arranged for his transport by ambulance and admitted him to the facility in Pune.

The rescue operation was carried out under the guidance of Senior Police Inspector Sachin Sanap (City Chowk) by Santosh Kharat, Ganesh Kedar and Sub-Inspector and staff from the City Chowk Police Station; ambulance personnel Atul Murudkar (DM), Sachin Palve (ADM), Jalindar Jadhav and pilot Nitin Ladge.