Police unearth illegal de-addiction centre near Bhikhiwind

The Bhikhiwind police on Tuesday unearthed a de-addiction centre being run illegally near Bhikhiwind on the outskirts of Chung village for the last four months. Station House Officer Inspector Manoj Kumar informed here today that 19 patients receiving treatment at the centre had been rescued and admitted to the government-run De-addiction and Rehabilitation Centre at Tharu.

Harbir Singh, a resident of Bhikhiwind, who was introducing himself as a doctor and watchman Brij alias Raju of Karol Bagh in Delhi, have been arrested from the spot while Sona Singh, a resident of Mari Kamboke, is absconding. The Station House Officer said that the centre was being run in connivance with Sona Singh from his residence for the last four months. The Station House Officer said that large amounts were being charged as treatment fee from innocent persons, luring them with the promise of kicking addiction.

Brij was keeping a watch on persons passing by. The police recovered a huge quantity of illegal intoxicating tablets and other medicinal instruments from the spot. The persons introducing themselves as administrators of the de-addiction centre failed to produce permission issued by a proper authority to run the de-addiction centre. All 19 patients were locked up in a single room with no proper facility and were treated like animals.

Meanwhile, a case under section 318 (2), 318 (4),127 (2),127 (3),127 (4) of the BNS and Sections 22, 25, 28, 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act has been registered against the accused.