Two suicides at Thane mental hospital in a week

Disciplinary action was initiated against six staff members of the Thane Regional Mental Hospital here for alleged dereliction of duty after two inmates committed suicide within a week, the authorities said.

Hospital superintendent Dr Sanjay Borade said on Thursday that two nurses were transferred, while four other staff members were suspended.

Sandeep Patil, a patient, hanged himself on September 11, while Deepak Chourasia, another inmate, hanged himself on September 17, he said.

Patil, accused of killing his father 12 years ago, was acquitted by the court, but his family and other residents of his village were not ready to allow him to return.

Depressed, he hanged himself using a bandage, Dr Borade said.

Chourasia, a drug addict, too was suffering from depression and ended his life by hanging himself in a room, the key to which used to be with the nurses.

In the aftermath of the incidents, two nurses were transferred, one for allowing a patient to get hold of bandage and another for allowing a patient to access the room, the hospital superintendent said.

Four other staff members were suspended as it was their responsibility to guard against suicide attempts by patients, he said.

At any given time, the Thane Regional Mental Hospital has around 1200 patients.

The hospital was suffering from an acute shortage of staff including psychiatrists, sources said.