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Katatonia.--Katatonia is the condition in which the period of excitement alternates with that of katatonic stupor. The patient is in a state of wild excitement, is destructive, violent and abusive. He may impulsively assault anyone without the slightest provocation. Homicidal or suicidal attempts may be made. Auditory hallucinations frequently occur, which may be responsible for their violent behaviour. Sometimes, they destroy themselves because they hear God's voice commanding Digitally Signed Digitally Signed GUPTA 2023:DHC:4305-DB them to destroy themselves. This phase may last from a few hours to a few days or weeks, followed by stage of stupor. The katatonic stupor begins with a lack of interest, lack of concentration and general apathy. He is negative, refuses to take food or medicines and to carry out his daily routine activities like brushing his teeth, taking bath or change his clothes.... The activities are so very limited that he may confine himself in one place and assume one posture however uncomfortable, for hours together without getting fatigued. His face is expressionless and his gaze vacant.... They may understand clearly everything that is going on around them, and sometime without warning and without any apparent cause, they suddenly attack any person standing nearby. Paranoid Schizophrenia, paranoia and paraphrenia.-- Paranoia is now regarded as a mild form of paranoid schizophrenia. The main characteristic of this illness is a well- elaborated delusional system in a personality that is otherwise well preserved. The delusions are of a persecutory type. The true nature of the illness may go unrecognised for a long time because the personality is well preserved, and some of these paranoiacs may pass off as social reformers or founders of queer pseudo-religious sects. The classical picture is rare and generally takes a chronic course.
Paranoid schizophrenia, in the vast majority of cases, starts in the fourth decade and develops insidiously. Suspiciousness is the characteristic symptom of the early stage. Ideas of reference occur, which gradually develop into delusions of persecution. Auditory hallucinations follow which in the beginning, start as sounds or noises in the ears, but become fixed and definite, to lead the patient to believe that he is persecuted by some unknown person or some superhuman agency. He believes that his food is being poisoned, some noxious gases are blown into his room and people are plotting against him to ruin him. Disturbances of general sensation give Digitally Signed Digitally Signed GUPTA 2023:DHC:4305-DB rise to hallucinations, which are attributed to the effects of hypnotism, electricity, wireless telegraphy or atomic agencies. The patient gets very irritated and excited owing to these painful and disagreeable hallucinations and delusions. Since so many people are against him and are interested in his ruin, he comes to believe that he must be a very important man. The nature of delusions thus, may change from persecutory to grandiose type. He entertains delusions of grandeur, power and wealth, and generally conducts himself in a haughty and overbearing manner. The patient usually retains his money and orientation and does not show signs of insanity, until the conversation is directed to the particular type of delusion from which he is suffering. When delusions affect his behaviour, he is often a source of danger to himself and others. The name paraphrenia has been given to those suffering from paranoid psychosis who, in spite of various hallucinations and more or less systemised delusions, retain their personality in a relatively intact state. Generally, paraphrenia begins later in life than the other paranoid psychosis.
48. Similarly, in the decision reported as (2006) 3 SCC 778Vinita Saxena v. Pankaj Pandit, Hon‟ble Supreme Court again noted:
"28. ... A research on the disease ―Schizophrenia is one of the most damaging of all mental disorders. It causes its victims to lose touch with reality. They often begin to hear, see or feel things that aren't really there (hallucinations) or become convinced of things that simply aren't true (delusions). In the paranoid form of this disorder, they develop delusions of persecution or personal grandeur. The first signs of paranoid schizophrenia usually surface between the ages of 15 and 34. There is no cure, but the disorder can be controlled with medications. Severe attacks may require hospitalisation.

61. We may note that despite directions of this Court in Charanjit Singh (supra) in the year 2005 to the State to create Short Stay/ Long Stay homes for people suffering from mental illness who do not need hospitalization, no such homes were set up. Thus, this Court sought report from the Medical Superintendent IHBAS regarding the status of Half Way Homes for permanently lodging schizophrenia patients vide the order dated 6 th August, 2014. Finally, the Half Way Homes became operational in March 2017 when Madhu Bala was shifted from the hospital at IHBAS to the Short Stay Home at IHBAS. Needless to note that from the medical record of the appellant it was evident that though initially she was in and out of IHBAS and on regular treatment, however after her stay at the Short Stay Home Saksham at IHBAS there is incremental improvement in the mental health of the appellant due to which this Court was able to receive the report that at the moment the paranoid schizophrenia of the appellant was in remission Digitally Signed Digitally Signed GUPTA 2023:DHC:4305-DB and the learned counsel for the appellant was also able to interact with her. It is hoped and expected that in terms of the directions of this Court in Charanjit Singh (supra) the State will ensure sufficient number of Short Stay Homes and Long Stay Homes for people with mental illness who do not require regular hospitalization and who have no homes to go back to live in a safe, congenial and pleasant environment.