Wanted: Hindi-speaking psychiatrist to examine Saifi

NIA probing the case had conducted the mental capacity test on Saifi thrice as part of the investigation.
 Shahrukh Saifi
Shahrukh Saifi
Updated on
2 min read

KOCHI: The prison department is in desperate search of a Hindi-speaking psychiatrist/ psychologist to examine the mental status of New Delhi resident Shahrukh Saifi, who torched a coach of Alappuzha-Kannur Express at Elathur, claiming three lives in April last year. After the initial attempt to find such a psychiatrist failed, the NIA Court directed the superintendent of High-Security Prison, Viyyur, to search for such a person in the entire state.

It all started last month when the counsel of Saifi approached the court requesting his mental status examination to be conducted by a psychiatrist/psychologist who is well conversant with Hindi and who can communicate with the accused freely.

NIA probing the case had conducted the mental capacity test on Saifi thrice as part of the investigation. In all these tests he was found normal.

However, Saifi’s counsel argued that in previous tests, the psychiatrist did not communicate with the accused in Hindi. Saifi knew only Hindi and a fresh examination should be conducted with the help of a psychiatrist who can interact with him in Hindi.

On September 11, the NIA Court in Kochi directed the jail superintendent to conduct a mental capability examination on Saifi with the help of a Hindi-speaking psychiatrist.

However, last week the jail superintendent filed a report that he could not find a psychiatrist who could converse in Hindi. They searched for a Hindi-speaking psychiatrist in Thrissur district but could not find one. However, the court refused to accept the report and directed to find out a Hindi-speaking psychiatrist soon. “Now, we are looking for a psychiatrist who can speak Hindi in the entire state. The communication has been passed on to all districts to search for such a psychiatrist. If not available, we will look for a psychiatrist from other states who can speak Hindi and English well. We have time till the first week of November for the purpose,” a jail official said.

It was on April 2 that 27-year-old Saifi boarded the Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express from Shornur and sprinkled petrol on passengers and set them on fire when the train reached Elathur.

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