2
STATEMENT II.—CRIMINAL LUNATICS.
12. Lahore Asylum.—At the end of 1894, 59 male and 2 female criminal
lunatics were in confinement. Fourteen males and 1 female were admitted in
1895. The total population in the year under report was, therefore, 76 (73
males and 3 females).
13. They were classified as follows:—
Tried and acquitted on the ground of insanity ...
Admitted insane and not capable of making a defence
Became insane while undergoing imprisonment
...
Total ...
13
33
30
76
14. During the year 6 men were transferred to the non-criminal division,
their term of imprisonment having expired; 3 were returned to Jail cured of
insanity; 6 were sent to their districts to undergo trial; 2 were made over to
their friends by order of Government; and 5 died. At the end of December
last, 51 males and 3 females remained in the Asylum.
15. The daily average strength of criminal lunatics was 60.50. In 1894
there were 61.2 such persons confined, but the average for the last ten years,
1885 to 1894, was only 44.16. There has, thus, been a marked addition to the
criminal classes during the last three years.
I am unable to offer any valid
explanation of this. The larger proportion of criminal lunatics in the Asylum
entails extra care from the establishment, as such men are generally more
troublesome than the other inhabitants.
16. Delhi Asylum.—Twelve males and 2 females remained in the criminal
division on the 31st December 1894. One man and 1 woman were admitted
in 1895, making a total criminal population of 16 (13 men and 3 women). Dur-
ing the twelve months one was sent back to jail cured ; one was transferred to
the non-criminal class on the expiry of the original sentence ; one was released
by order of Government; and one died, leaving a total of 12 (11 men and 1
woman) at the end of the year.
17. These twelve were classed as follows:—
Tried and acquitted on the ground of insanity
...
...
Incapable of making a defence ... ... ... ... ...
Became insane while undergoing imprisonment
...
...
Total ...
3
8
1
12
18. The daily average strength of these lunatics was 12.09 males and
1.61 females—total 13.70. During the preceding decade it was 13.63. In this
Asylum, therefore, the criminal lunatics have not varied greatly in number from
year to year.
ESCAPES.
19. Lahore Asylum.—Two criminal and two non-criminal lunatics effected
their escape; all were recaptured. The two criminals got out during the night
by scaling the walls. The warders were prosecuted, fined and dismissed.
One non-criminal escaped while outside the Asylum. His warders were fined.
The fourth man availed himself of some bustle and confusion at the entrance
during a meeting of the half-yearly Committee, The gate-keeper was employed
in trying to keep order inside and the lunatic slipped out.
20. The Superintendent reports that he has now provided warders with
lamps which throw a strong light into the cells. This will, he thinks, meet the
views expressed by His Honor the Lieutenant-Governor in paragraph 1 of his
review of last year's Annual Report.
21. Delhi Asylum.—Two non-criminals effected their escape and were not
recaptured. One was an idiot boy. It was not clearly ascertained how these
two lunatics escaped ; but after enquiry gross carelessness was proved on the
part of a warder and gate-keeper, both of whom were fined.