Frustrated in love - man turns mad, confined for 15 years, released

By Akshaya Kumar Sahoo

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 19: An Orissa man, who turned insane after his girl friend rejected his love, has been rescued by the Angul district authorities after having been confined to a dingy room for over 15 years.
The 42-year-old Narottam Sethy of Koshala village under Chhendipada police limit was on Monday rescued by the district administration and immediately admitted to district headquarters hospital.
“Saline fluids along with medicines are being administered to Narottam and he is responding to the treatment well,” Dr Priyaranjan Parida, who is attending the man, said.
Narottam’s mother Abala Sethy said the family had confined the Narottam as he showed some rowdy behaviour after his lady love rejected by his marriage offer 15 years ago.
“Having been frustrated in love, Narottam turned violent and always made bids to hurt the villagers. His erratic behaviour was unbearable and hence we confined him to a room for the safety of the family and others. He used to throw away and break utensils and other household articles after he turned mad. We did not have any other way than restricting his physical movement,” she said.
The 10/10-feet dingy room in which Narottam was confined is made up of mud. In order to seal all chances of Narottam’s escape, the doors of the room were always kept locked.
A small whole was made on the mud wall to supply food and water. All through these years, Narottam was made to attend his nature’s call in the room itself which emanated unbearable foul smell when it was opened on Monday, said Chhendipada police inspector R.N. Sahoo.
Chhendipada Tehsildar Madhusudan Das, who played a crucial role in rescuing the youth, said the district administration took up the cause of Narottam after it came to know about his confinement from an Oriya daily.
In a similar case in September last year, Dhenkanal district authorities had rescued a 43-year-old woman Annapurna Sahu from Dhenkanal district. The lady was locked up in a room by her family for more than 25 years. After her primary medical treatment, the lady has been put in a rehabilitation centre.