RESIDENTS of communities that run off the Old Braeton Road in Greater Portmore were sent into shock yesterday when a man who appeared to be mentally challenged stripped himself and paraded down the main road with Bible in hand.

The man, identified only as 'Mikey' by the residents, also had a ganja spliff in his mouth and walked calmly down the road as his distraught mother, relatives, the police and other community members followed and pleaded with him to get home and clothe himself.

"Him and him woman have a problem and it look like him take it to heart and it mad him," one woman said.

But despite the pleas, the man continued on his trek until he reached the murky waters of a canal close to the community of Aintree and proceeded to dip in the water and read his Bible.

As the police looked on, a few residents attempted to restrain the man but he would have none of it. He continued to flick over in the water and expose himself while at times mimicking the movements of a reptile.

After a while, the man decided to lay still on his back with his Bible resting on his chest.

About 30 minutes later, as if suddenly struck by the reality that he was making himself a spectacle, the man yielded to the pleas of his mother and relatives and decided to leave the dirty waters of the canal and go with the police.

But before the police took him to the Spanish Town Hospital for treatment, a male sergeant was overheard telling the crowd that had gathered that he would not transport the man to hospital unless he was tied up as he did not want to risk injury to himself or any member of the police team.

"It is the force's policy; if we get injured by him and he is not restrained then we will not get any compensation," the cop said.