In a dramatic turn of events at the Madras High Court on Tuesday, a 15-year-old girl jumped from the first floor moments after the court directed that she be lodged in a government-run home for girls. The teenager, who sustained injuries, is undergoing treatment at a city hospital.
The girl's parents are divorced, and her father had moved the court with a habeas corpus petition after she went missing earlier this year. Police later traced her to her grandmother's house. She had refused to live with either of her parents and expressed her desire to stay with her mother in the Andaman Islands.
A division bench of Justices MS Ramesh and V Lakshminarayanan, after interacting with the girl and considering a confidential counsellor's report, concluded that the atmosphere in Andamans would not be conducive for her safety. With the girl unwilling to stay with her father, the bench ordered her immediate admission to the Government Children's Home for Girls at Kellys, Chennai.
The court also directed that she be evaluated by a psychiatrist at the Institute of Mental Health in Kilpauk, with the costs to be borne by the father.
It was shortly after this order that the girl leapt from the first floor of the court premises. Court sources said she was conscious when taken to the hospital. The matter has been posted for further hearing on August 26.
| Helplines | |
|---|---|
| Vandrevala Foundation for Mental Health | 9999666555 or help@vandrevalafoundation.com |
| TISS iCall | 022-25521111 (Monday-Saturday: 8 am to 10 pm) |
| (If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist.) | |
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