Tehrathum, January 13

Family members of a mental patient Udaya Narayan Dahal, 33, of Bokhim, Tehrathum have resorted to literally caging him inside an iron cage when looking after him became next to impossible.

Chudamani Dahal, the patient’s father, said they put him in the cage four years ago.

“Udaya had gone abroad for employment, but he returned 10 months later with an addiction to drugs. He later developed certain mental health issues, and visited a doctor. He was put on medication for six months,” Chudamani Dahal said.

Udaya then went to India looking for work, but found no employment.

“Just a few months after he went to India, he started having episodes of mental breakdown, and had to return home. We took him to the Patan-based mental health hospital, where he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder,” Chudamani said, adding, “We also took him to India for treatment, but the disease would not go away completely.”

The family put him in an iron cage after Udaya started attacking them during his episodes. “We are deep in debt now from trying to treat him, and we cannot afford to continue treatment,” Chudamani said.