( 15 )

9. There were 11 deaths during the year:—

Males.

Females.

Central Provinces ... ... ... ...

8

2

Berar ... ... ... ...

1

0

Total ...

9

2

                                 STATEMENT II.

10. Eight criminal lunatics, all males, were admitted during the year.

Of these, 7 were from the Central Provinces and 1 from Berar.

The history of these eight criminal lunatics is as follows :—

(1)    Syed Ahmed, aged 26 years, tobacco-seller, charged under section 377,
I. P. C., but found to be of unsound mind and incapable of making his defence
and sent to the Asylum under section 466, C. P. C. On admission, on 4th March
1899, he refused to wear any clothing, seldom spoke, ate his own filth and smeared
his body with it.

In June 1899, his mental condition began to improve slowly.

Is now sane and fit to stand his trial.

Denies all knowledge of the crime for which he is charged. Says he was
in the habit of smoking ganja and that his maternal uncle was insane.

(2)    Jhaloo Kurku, aged 40 years, cattle-grazer, charged under section 302,
I. P. C., but acquitted on the ground of insanity and sent to the Asylum on 16th
March 1899, under section 471, C. P. C.

Was subject to epileptic fits and considered half mad since early boyhood.

On the night of the 13th November 1898, he had an epileptic fit and re-
mained without food till the early morning of the 15th idem.

A little later in the day, he had an altercation with a lad named Ghochan,
which led a neighbour named Madhu to warn Ghochan that the accused was half
mad ("bahia ") and might do him mischief. The use of the term half mad ("bahia ")
seems to have thrown the accused into a sudden frenzy. He seized a hatchet
and rushed at Madhu. The latter escaped, as did also his friend Ambu Kurku,
who at first strove to wrest the hatchet from Jhaloo. Jhaloo pursued the two
men, and when he failed to overtake them, dashed into the house of one Sheikji.
Sheikji's wife, Musammat Chhan, managed to dodge the assailant who, on issuing
into the street, came upon Sheikji himself and at once cut him down with the
axe, inflicting four more wounds on the body as it lay at his feet.

Again pursuing Musammat Chhan, who had come out to help her husband,
Jhaloo overtook a girl named Musammat Puni and killed her with five
strokes of his axe. Next, darting into the house of Musammat Junai, he
slew the occupant (who was pounding rice there) with the same weapon,
inflicting four wounds.

By this time, the village was cleared of its inhabitants, who all fled into the
jungle. When the Police reached the scene, Jhaloo was seated in front of his
house with his axe in his hand. Ho refused to surrender and threatened the
Police, but was at last overpowered.

Since admission to the Asylum, he has had four or five epileptic fits every
month, after each one of which he remains very depressed and melancholy for
a day or two.