In a most tragic incident at Erwadi, near Ramanathapuram, 25 people including 11 women were charred to death. A devastating fire broke out at 5 am, in the thatched hostel housing them. Out of the 46 hostel inmates, 40 were chained to their beds. They kept screaming for help but no one came to their rescue. The 46 hostel inmates were mentally ill. Erwadi is considered a holy place and has a Dargah. People from various parts of the country brought their loved ones to this place in the belief that the Dargah here had magical powers to cure mental illness. During the course of the ‘treatment’, these persons with mental illness were frequently caned, whipped and beaten up in the name of ‘driving away the evil’. During the day, they were tied to trees with thick ropes. At night, they were tied to their beds with iron chains.
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