Madanapalle couple shifted to government mental care facility in Vizag
Padmaja was said to still be in a state of trance and chanting the name of Lord Shiva the whole night
TIRUPATI: The well-educated couple from Chittoor’s Madanapalle, Dr Valleru Purushotham Naidu and Valleru Padmaja, who have been remanded at the local sub-jail for allegedly killing their two daughters, were shifted to the government mental care facility in Vizag on Wednesday, for a complete psychiatric evaluation and treatment, if necessary.
The couple is accused of murdering their daughters Alekhya (27) and Sai Divya (22) in their house at Madanapalle on January 24. They were produced before the Judicial magistrate on January 26 and placed under remand at the Madanapalli sub-jail, where the authorities have lodged Padmaja in a special cell and Purushottam Naidu in a common cell.
Padmaja was said to still be in a state of trance and chanting the name of Lord Shiva the whole night. On the request of jail authorities, the couple was evaluated by a team of psychiatrists on January 27. They confirmed that the couple was suffering from delusions and needed a complete psychiatric evaluation in the presence of a psychologist.
The jail authorities presented the recommendation of psychiatrists to the local magistrate and obtained permission to shift the couple to Ruia Hospital Tirupati. There a team of doctors at the psychiatry ward completed basic assessment of the couple’s mental state.
Doctors at Ruia hospital felt that the couple has to undergo a complete psychiatric evaluation in the presence of a psychologist. They also advised that the couple need custodian care as they are appearing highly delusional. Since the Ruia Hospital lacks a full-time psychologist, and the psychiatric cell being able to accommodate one patient at a time, the doctors advised the jail authorities to get the couple admitted to the government hospital for mental care at Vizag.
The sub-jail authorities, last week, requested the armed reserve wing for security arrangements to shift the couple to Vizag. However, after a brief delay, arrangements were finally made to shift the couple in a police vehicle, guarded by the armed reserve police on Wednesday.