INDORE: A 30-year-old man who was chained for almost seven years was rescued by an NGO on Friday from Khajrana area. The victim was termed mentally unstable and was chained very close to the Khajrana police station.
A local NGO, ‘Sanstha Pravesh’ on receiving a tip-off visited the spot to rescue the victim identified as Zaid.
The rescue operation proved to be quite challenging for both the rescue team and the police as the victim’s mother, Mumtaz, experienced a panic attack and became extremely violent. Despite repeated attempts by the female members of the rescue team, led by Rupali Jain, she could not be calmed.
Meanwhile, the team managed to snatch the keys to the chains from the woman and tried to unlock them, but the locks were rusted and did not open.
The team later used a chisel and hammer to break the chains on the man’s hands and feet. After a grueling two-hour job, the man was finally freed and taken to a mental hospital for treatment.
“The 30-year-old man was mentally unsound and was kept chained by his mother, a beggar,” Jain said. She occasionally fed him.
The chain allowed him to move around in a 5 square feet area and defecated call at the same place under the open sky in all weather. A plastic sheet was draped around him, and he was only wearing a towel.
According to the nearby vendors, the man would often scream in hunger or remain silent. Moved by his plight, the vendors, passersby, and locals would occasionally offer him food or water.
When the rescue team arrived at the scene, they found the man’s legs chained together with thick chains, the other ends of which were secured to the ground with iron rods and locks. Similarly, his wrists were also chained together and fastened to the handcart.
Local residents revealed that Jaid was mentally unstable and would often throw stones at people and abuse women. The victim’s aunt, Gulnaz Bee, said that Zaid’s father abandoned his mother 15 years ago. Zaid aspired to be a singer and was quite talented but he suffered a head injury at the age of nine that led to his deteriorating mental health. Due to financial constraints, his condition worsened over time.
Zaid’s sister, Sara, who lives with her aunt, revealed that their mother was afraid to seek medical treatment for Zaid and resorted to ‘traditional’ healing methods.
“The man has been admitted to a hospital in Banganga for people with psychological issues for treatment” Jain said.
