NEW DELHI: The 23-year-old Bhiwandi woman, whose breasts were chopped off by pimps last year for refusing to join prostitution, now has acute psychiatric problem and needs expert treatment, a Mumbai hospital treating her informed the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

A bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and MY Eqbal directed the Maharashtra government to shift the woman to Delhi-based Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences immediately after she completed the ongoing therapy at the Mumbai hospital.

The bench said the hospital's psychiatric department has submitted a report saying "it appears that the victim of the incident has developed a serious psychiatric problem". The doctors have recommended specialized treatment for her in the hands of experts.

"We are of the opinion that after completing the present therapy, that is on July 18, the patient should be shifted to IHBAS in Delhi," the bench said and directed the Maharashtra government to take necessary steps. It posted the matter for further hearing on July 30 and sought a report from IHBAS.

The bench also expressed its displeasure over the Maharashtra police not filing the status report about the investigations into the case, which was first reported by the TOI and taken cognizance of by the court.

On March 24, 2013, the TOI had reported about the gruesome incident. The pimp, a woman, had allegedly been torturing the victim to force her into prostitution. Irked by her refusal to give in, the pimp with the help of her two male friends had allegedly slashed her breasts with a blade.

Bhiwandi city police had arrested the pimp, 34-year-old Ruby Munshi, and were looking for her accomplices Alam and Afjal. Alam had allegedly lured the victim, who hailed from a poor family in Gujarat, on the promise of marriage. After bringing her to Mumbai, Alam had allegedly sold her to Ruby for Rs 30,000.

The police had come to know of the incident after the victim got herself admitted to the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital. In her complaint, the victim alleged that when she refused to get into prostitution, the accused first harassed her and then Ruby slashed her breasts and branded her with a hot iron rod.

