42 freed from illegal de-addiction centre

KHANNA: The police raided an illegal drug deaddiction centre at Rupalon village near Samrala and freed 42 inmates Khanna SSP Gursharandeep Singh Grewal said the Samrala police led by DSP Davinder Singh and SHO Sukhbir Singh raided the illegal rehabilitation centre namely Bhai Daya Singh Gurmat Vidyalaya and Simran Abhayas Kendar at Rupalon village yesterday

Updated At : 12:48 PM Jul 03, 2019 IST

Khanna SSP GS Grewal (centre) addresses mediapersons regarding busting of the illegal de-addiction centre at Samrala on Tuesday. Tribune photo

Gurminder Singh Grewal

Khanna, July 2

The police raided an illegal drug de-addiction centre at Rupalon village, near Samrala, and freed 42 inmates.

Khanna SSP Gursharandeep Singh Grewal said the Samrala police, led by DSP Davinder Singh and SHO Sukhbir Singh, raided the illegal rehabilitation centre, namely Bhai Daya Singh Gurmat Vidyalaya and Simran Abhayas Kendar, at Rupalon village yesterday. The centre was shifted to Rupalon from Lopon village just 20 days ago.

The SSP said the centre was being run by Pritpal Singh, a resident of Kamal Colony, Samrala, and Bhag Singh, a resident of Mandi Gobindgarh in Fatehgarh Sahib district, with the help of members of their group. They charged huge fees by posing as specialists though there were no medical facilities available at the centre.

The owners also failed to show any approved licence/permit or certificate issued by the Punjab Government to run the centre. A case under Section 420/417/342/344/345/323/120-B, IPC, has been registered against them.

The SSP said 42 persons were kept in illegal confinement at the rehabilitation centre. All of them were freed and handed over to their families by the Khanna police in the presence of Ranjit Singh, Executive Magistrate of Samrala, and Dr Ajit Singh, SMO, Manupur CHC.

A BDS doctor, a retired XEN and a JE were among the inmates freed from the illegal rehabilitation centre. They were admitted to the centre by their relatives as they were addicted to alcohol. A few inmates said they were tortured by the staff. One of the inmates had a fractured foot.

Meanwhile, families, who were waiting outside the centre, said they feared their sons would again fell prey to drug peddlers.

‘Specialist’, but no facilities

Khanna SSP Gursharandeep Singh Grewal said the centre was being run by Pritpal Singh, a resident of Kamal Colony, Samrala, and Bhag Singh, a resident of Mandi Gobindgarh in Fatehgarh Sahib district, with the help of members of their group. They charged huge fees by posing as specialists though there were no medical facilities available at the centre. The owners also failed to show any approved licence/permit or certificate issued by the Punjab Government to run the centre.