Bhilwara (Rajasthan), Feb 17 (IANS): Two mentally-challenged brothers have been living tied in chains for almost three decades now in a village of Rajasthan, as their family cannot afford their treatment.

The victims, Ganesh, 52, and Udailal, around 50, are residents of Rajaji Ka Karoda village in Bhilwara district, some 300 kilometre from state capital Jaipur.

"The family has kept them tied to a pole for almost 30 years now. They became mentally unstable and slipped into depression after the death of their mother," one of his neighbours told IANS preferring anonymity.

He said that both have been living tied in a corner of their house for want of money to meet their medical treatment costs.

"In all, they are five brothers and one of the brothers takes care of them," he said, adding that one brother works as a blacksmith, another as a peon, while the third one looks after them.

"If the family keeps them free, then there is the danger of them getting lost or becoming violent. Sometimes we feel very disturbed to see them chained like this, but perhaps this is the only way for the family to keep them in control," he said.

"The family says that they have shown them to various doctors in nearby areas, but to no avail. The family had to sell off their land for whatever medical treatment the two brothers had, but there was no improvement," the neighbour said.

The family does not have enough money to take them to a specialist and the government has also not come forward to help them, he added.