The latest safety audit report prepared by the Kozhikode City Police has suggested a total revamp of the existing facilities at the Kuthiravattom Government Mental Health Centre. The report was prepared by a team of Assistant Commissioners on a High Court directive following recurring incidents of residents going missing from the facility.
Stressing the need to implement a master plan for the institution, the report said the existing buildings were hardly fit to meet the treatment requirements of residents. It reportedly suggested the demolition of many of the existing buildings and construction of new facilities to meet quality standards in mental healthcare.
A senior police officer who was part of the inspection team said the report was submitted for the consideration of the Kerala High Court on Friday. He added that further details of the field-level investigation report could not be revealed at the moment.
It was the recent death of a resident who slipped away from the centre that prompted the court to intervene. A previous incident in which a woman resident was allegedly strangled by other residents was also a reason for a serious review of the existing facilities and surveillance measures at the centre.
According to police sources, former District Judge K. Ragini had also submitted a report to the Kerala High Court detailing safety flaws and lack of facilities that she had noticed during a surprise inspection at the centre. The Kerala State Human Rights Commission had also recommended immediate filling of all vacant posts at the centre, they said.
