To:
Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Thiru. M.K. Stalin
Tamil Nadu State Mental Health Authority
Tamil Nadu Minister for Health and Family Welfare

Subject: Justice, Dignity, and Freedom for the Forgotten Souls at Kilpauk Mental Health Centre

I am writing this petition as a citizen deeply concerned about the heartbreaking and systemic neglect inside Kilpauk Mental Health Centre (KMHC), Chennai.

Based on firsthand accounts, journalistic insights, and on-ground testimonies, it has come to light that:

Over 500 patients who are medically fit for discharge continue to be locked up due to lack of family or administrative rehabilitation.

Patients are chained, confined behind colonial iron gates, and denied fresh air or basic freedoms after 6 PM every day.

Many are subjected to verbal, emotional, and physical abuse by certain staff members without accountability.

Some have spent over 30 years in confinement, like Mr. Nataraja Moorthy — reportedly the son of former Minister Kakkan — due to systemic abandonment.

Patients are made to cook, clean, and maintain gardens — evidence that they are functional — yet are not released.

NGOs, media, and independent observers are often denied access, creating a wall of silence around these human rights violations.

This is not just medical negligence — it is state-sanctioned cruelty against the most vulnerable.

As per the Mental Healthcare Act 2017, every person has the right to community-based living, dignity, and rehabilitation. That law is being violated in spirit and practice.

We demand the following actions from the Tamil Nadu government:

An urgent and independent human rights audit of Kilpauk Mental Health Centre and similar institutions across Tamil Nadu.

Immediate release and rehabilitation of all recovered patients.

Formation of a Mental Health Oversight Committee with citizen, legal, and psychiatric representation.

Media and NGO access to these institutions for ethical monitoring.

Sensitisation, training, and legal accountability of hospital staff to prevent further abuse.

Let us not forget: every person behind those iron doors is someone’s son, daughter, father, or friend. They are not criminals. They are human beings.

It’s time to act.

Please sign and share. Your voice can set them free.

Petitioner Name: Senthil Nathan Jaishankar Citizen of Tamil Nadu
Chennai