For N Divya, widow of Dalit boy Ilavarasan, all is not lost as she wants to put behind the personal tragedy and pursue her nursing course.
The young girl has a positive outlook about the future and her mood is reactive, according to the three-member team of counsellors appointed by the High Court. It was revealed in its report filed before a division bench of Justices M Jaichandran and MM Sundresh on Wednesday.
When the writ petition seeking a CBI probe into the death of Ilavarasan and the miscellaneous petition praying for counselling to Divya came up before the bench on Wednesday, Special Government Pleader IS Inbadurai produced the report signed by Dr KS Ravishankar, Professor and Head of Psychiatry, Government Medical College & Hospital, Dharmapuri, Dr V Sabitha, associate professor of psychiatry and Dr AG Shanthi, Assistant Professor/Clinical Psychologist, both from the Institute of Mental Health, Chennai.
Counselling was offered to Divya on July 19 and 20 last for four hours each day. She was co-operative, a rapport was established and she was communicating well, the report said.
She was given counselling to proceed towards an optimistic future. She was taught coping skills and relaxation techniques to overcome the anxiety. Supportive psychotherapy was given to sustain the adaptive atmosphere and direct her towards a practical life. Her family members were also taught coping strategies and adaptive skills. But, they felt the counselling was enough for now and if needed, the assistance of the local psychiatric department would availed in the future.
The report, however, said the parents of Ilavarasan did not turn up for the counselling. When approached they told the team that they were busy with performing the last rites for the deceased.
Meanwhile, counsel for Thenmozhi, the mother of Divya, who had filed a habeas corpus petition, told the bench that the petitioner had already made an endorsement to the effect that the HCP might be closed as she was withdrawing the same.
However, R Sankara Subbu, the counsel for Ilavarasan, who had also filed a similar habeas corpus petition seeking the custody of Divya, told the bench that Thenmozhi’s HCP should not be closed because of later developments. And the bench reserved its orders on this issue.