Multiple disorders pushed mother over the edge: Doctors
11 March 2015 11:39 PM GMT
The 27-year-old woman, who allegedly strangled to death her three daughters before attempting suicide at the Ambedkar Nagar area, was undergoing treatment for mental illness for the past four months. After checking her medical history, it so emerged that Radha Devi was insomniac was prescribed drugs for severe depression, among other issues, said a police official on Tuesday.
While the three girls – Punita (8), Gealini (3) and Sulena (8 months) — were reported brought dead at the ESI hospital in Okhla and Radha, in a critical condition was referred to the Safdarjung Hospital, her eldest daughter, Varsha (10), escaped the calamity. Varsha was at school when her mother left, along with her siblings, for buying some medicines and for a check-up at the ESI hospital — where she was undergoing treatment.
On Tuesday, Radha was presented at the Dwarka court after being reported to be in a stable condition. She was later sent to the IHBAS neuro-psychiatric hospital in Dilshad Garden.
The police also ruled out allegations that Radha was frequently taunted by her neighbours; husband Raju Singh, who is a tailor; or relatives for not giving birth to a male child. “When we recorded her statement today (Tuesday), she was repenting and was apparently clueless of the forces that drove her towards such an extreme step,” said the investigating officer.
Radha used to turn tremendously aggressive all of a sudden for brief periods and hardly remembered any of these phases, once back to normalcy. On Monday, she went to the ESI hospital for a check up but the OPD had closed by the time she reached. She also could not avail the required medicines. This is suspected to have turned on her aggression.
Radha’s brother also told the police that in another recent incident, she had exuded such aggressive behaviour while preparing dinner. According to Dr Navin Kumar, Radha’s case is severe in nature – one, which can be described as non-curable and can only be controlled through extreme surveillance. “This could be a case of multiple disorders – including schizophrenia and severe depression,” said Dr Kumar, associate professor of Psychology at Bhim Rao Ambedkar College under DU.
He further said that severe depression can also be classified into inward (tending to harm oneself) and outward (tending to harm others) – Radha’s case includes both.
While the three girls – Punita (8), Gealini (3) and Sulena (8 months) — were reported brought dead at the ESI hospital in Okhla and Radha, in a critical condition was referred to the Safdarjung Hospital, her eldest daughter, Varsha (10), escaped the calamity. Varsha was at school when her mother left, along with her siblings, for buying some medicines and for a check-up at the ESI hospital — where she was undergoing treatment.
On Tuesday, Radha was presented at the Dwarka court after being reported to be in a stable condition. She was later sent to the IHBAS neuro-psychiatric hospital in Dilshad Garden.
The police also ruled out allegations that Radha was frequently taunted by her neighbours; husband Raju Singh, who is a tailor; or relatives for not giving birth to a male child. “When we recorded her statement today (Tuesday), she was repenting and was apparently clueless of the forces that drove her towards such an extreme step,” said the investigating officer.
Radha used to turn tremendously aggressive all of a sudden for brief periods and hardly remembered any of these phases, once back to normalcy. On Monday, she went to the ESI hospital for a check up but the OPD had closed by the time she reached. She also could not avail the required medicines. This is suspected to have turned on her aggression.
Radha’s brother also told the police that in another recent incident, she had exuded such aggressive behaviour while preparing dinner. According to Dr Navin Kumar, Radha’s case is severe in nature – one, which can be described as non-curable and can only be controlled through extreme surveillance. “This could be a case of multiple disorders – including schizophrenia and severe depression,” said Dr Kumar, associate professor of Psychology at Bhim Rao Ambedkar College under DU.
He further said that severe depression can also be classified into inward (tending to harm oneself) and outward (tending to harm others) – Radha’s case includes both.
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