<p>Members of a temple trust in Rajajinagar recently tried to help a woman they believed was mentally unwell. A member told Metrolife that they called the jurisdictional police, who visited, spoke with the woman, and promised to return with female cops. “The woman used to behave erratically. Some people told us she used to sleep on the overbridge nearby, which is why we wanted to help her. But the police haven’t contacted us since,” he added. Metrolife spoke to experts on how to assist the homeless, abandoned, or mentally distressed.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Call the police</p>.<p class="bodytext">Saidulu Adavath, DCP of Whitefield, recommends calling helpline 112, after which police will arrive to assess the situation. They check whether the individual is from the locality or features in their missing persons reports. If there are no leads, the person is taken for a medical assessment, and a Medico-<br />Legal Case (MLC) is filed. Following this, the individual may be moved to palliative care or a mental health centre. “In addition to seeking police intervention, you can also contact an NGO,” he adds. Dr Rajesh, medical superintendent of C V Raman Hospital, Indiranagar, notes that patients brought in via the police are often ill or confused, and require extensive care.</p>.<p class="bodytext">NGO support</p>.<p class="bodytext">Once placed in palliative care or in a mental health centre, individuals are often supported by NGOs. Aaladamara, for example, collaborates with C V Raman Hospital to assist mentally disturbed patients. Aaladamara picks up people from the streets, and their centres have separate facilities for men and women. Imran Mohammad, manager of the Helping Hand Foundation, stresses that if someone sees an abandoned, homeless, or mentally disturbed person, the police should be notified first. “Caring for these individuals carries significant responsibility. If the person passes away, arranging last rites without proper documentation can be nearly impossible,” he explains.</p>.Homeless people from streets of Bengaluru refuse night shelters, claim they are 'poorly maintained'.<p class="bodytext">Night shelters</p>.<p class="bodytext">If the individual is healthy and does not require intensive medical care, police or NGOs take them to the nearest Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) night shelter or urban homeless shelter. These shelters provide food and beds. Bengaluru has 48 shelters managed by city corporations: 16 by the central corporation, seven each by the south and west, 12 by the north, and six by the east. To locate the nearest shelter, contact your local GBA office or police station.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Gopinath, managing trustee of the Sparsha Trust shelter in Halasuru, shares that many people found abandoned on the streets are well-educated, unmarried, and have fallen into hardship with no family support. Volunteers of the city chapter of Impact India consortium often find elderly people abandoned by their families, pregnant women who have been forced to leave home, and <br />unemployed youth, shares secretary Dr Ramachandrappa H T.</p>
<p>Members of a temple trust in Rajajinagar recently tried to help a woman they believed was mentally unwell. A member told Metrolife that they called the jurisdictional police, who visited, spoke with the woman, and promised to return with female cops. “The woman used to behave erratically. Some people told us she used to sleep on the overbridge nearby, which is why we wanted to help her. But the police haven’t contacted us since,” he added. Metrolife spoke to experts on how to assist the homeless, abandoned, or mentally distressed.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Call the police</p>.<p class="bodytext">Saidulu Adavath, DCP of Whitefield, recommends calling helpline 112, after which police will arrive to assess the situation. They check whether the individual is from the locality or features in their missing persons reports. If there are no leads, the person is taken for a medical assessment, and a Medico-<br />Legal Case (MLC) is filed. Following this, the individual may be moved to palliative care or a mental health centre. “In addition to seeking police intervention, you can also contact an NGO,” he adds. Dr Rajesh, medical superintendent of C V Raman Hospital, Indiranagar, notes that patients brought in via the police are often ill or confused, and require extensive care.</p>.<p class="bodytext">NGO support</p>.<p class="bodytext">Once placed in palliative care or in a mental health centre, individuals are often supported by NGOs. Aaladamara, for example, collaborates with C V Raman Hospital to assist mentally disturbed patients. Aaladamara picks up people from the streets, and their centres have separate facilities for men and women. Imran Mohammad, manager of the Helping Hand Foundation, stresses that if someone sees an abandoned, homeless, or mentally disturbed person, the police should be notified first. “Caring for these individuals carries significant responsibility. If the person passes away, arranging last rites without proper documentation can be nearly impossible,” he explains.</p>.Homeless people from streets of Bengaluru refuse night shelters, claim they are 'poorly maintained'.<p class="bodytext">Night shelters</p>.<p class="bodytext">If the individual is healthy and does not require intensive medical care, police or NGOs take them to the nearest Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) night shelter or urban homeless shelter. These shelters provide food and beds. Bengaluru has 48 shelters managed by city corporations: 16 by the central corporation, seven each by the south and west, 12 by the north, and six by the east. To locate the nearest shelter, contact your local GBA office or police station.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Gopinath, managing trustee of the Sparsha Trust shelter in Halasuru, shares that many people found abandoned on the streets are well-educated, unmarried, and have fallen into hardship with no family support. Volunteers of the city chapter of Impact India consortium often find elderly people abandoned by their families, pregnant women who have been forced to leave home, and <br />unemployed youth, shares secretary Dr Ramachandrappa H T.</p>