Mental prisoners escape: Qureshi displayed aggressive behaviour, says prison officials

Hyderabad: While the city police still doubts the mental condition of Qureshi, who escaped from the state-run Institute of Mental Health in Erragadda, prison officials say that he had showed symptoms of very aggressive behaviour.

Qureshi had apparently brutally assaulted six prisoners at the Chanchalguda prison over the last one month.

Officials also said that he had been admitted at the IMH only after a thorough medical check-up and after receiving an order from the court.

On December 3, Qureshi had escaped from the prisoners’ ward of IMH along with 10 other prisoners. While nine of them have already been caught, Qureshi is still absconding.

Superintendent of Chanchalguda prison, B. Saidaiah, said, “Qureshi was brought to the Chanchalguda prison on October 15 and he had been here since then.

After a while, he started quarreling unnecessarily and he had also brutally hit six people in the last one month. We observed his behaviour and referred him to a doctor. He was on medication for a while, but again started behaving very aggressively. Hence, we had to take the necessary permissions and admit him at IMH.”

Qureshi was arrested under the Narcotics Act. “He was an addict and the withdrawal symptoms were bound to occur.

His health was constantly monitored and medication was given regularly. We were informed that three days prior to the escape, he had refused to take his medication and this might have aggravated his condition,” informed Saidaiah.