2nd illegal rehab centre busted, 29 rescued

Dabwali, notorious for its deep-rooted narcotics problem, continues to grapple with the growing drug menace. Now, law enforcement faces a disturbing new challenge — illegal rehabilitation centres masquerading as treatment facilities while operating more like paying guest accommodations.

In a major crackdown on Friday, police raided an unauthorised rehab centre, Eknoor Nasha Mukti Kendra, in Kabir Basti, Dabwali, and rescued 29 addicts living in deplorable, prison-like conditions. Two individuals, Hardeep Singh from Dabwali and Iqbal Singh from Bathinda, Punjab, were arrested during the operation.

This marks the second illegal rehab centre exposed in just 10 days, intensifying concerns over the growing network of such fraudulent facilities in the region. Police have registered FIRs and are expanding their search for more illegal centres.

“This illegal rehab centre was operating without any permission. Twenty-nine drug addicts from Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan were forcefully kept here. Their families were charged hefty fees in the name of treatment, but they were being blatantly cheated,” said Dabwali SP Siddhant Jain.

He informed that the so-called treatment at the centre was nothing more than a sham, where addicts were given basic painkillers like paracetamol — without any doctor’s prescription — instead of proper medical care. “Most of the addicts here were heroin and ‘chitta’ users. There was no medical supervision and the entire setup was a violation of every norm,” the SP added.