In a shocking story, a 20-year-old mentally ill youth has been kept in chains for the last eight years by his parents in a slum at Subhas Nagar near Dumduma here.
Warned and threatened by neighbours who were repeatedly harassed by Santa Barik, his poor parents were forced to chain both his legs and lock him.
Kalucharan Barik, who used to earn a living from his traditional occupation, and his wife laxmi had tried to get their son treated but to no avail.
Santa was very much attached to his father. But Kalucharan died last month due to kidney failure. Now, Santa is entirely dependent on his mother, who is desperate for help from Government or NGOs as both of them are forced to survive on a meagre Government pension of `300 a month.
Santa’s elder brother has recently married and is unable to provide for his mother and brother.