Five addicts escape in nine days from Gurdaspur de-addiction centre

Vishal Masih, a drug addict brought to the Gurdaspur Red Cross De-addiction centre for treatment by the Batala police on the instructions of a court, escaped after taking away the mobile phone of one of the policemen guarding him in the wee hours yesterday.

Two Batala policemen and a handcuffed Masih were sleeping when the addict deftly managed to unshackle himself from one of the cops. He then broke open a small glass window with his iron handcuffs, enough for his slim frame to wriggle out of the opening and scaled a 15-foot outer wall before fleeing.

In the past nine days, five addicts, two of them admitted on the orders of the court, have escaped from the centre. With the cops tightening the noose under the “Yudh Nashiyan Virudh” drive, the number of addicts being brought to the centre is increasing, putting a strain on the resources.

The centre had four security guards doing duty round the clock for the past several years. However, on May 29, all of them were withdrawn on the directions of the Punjab Government. The administration has now asked the centre’s project director Romesh Mahajan to keep private security guards.

Last night, two groups of addicts clashed, leaving the petrified staff to fend for themselves.

It was with much difficulty that the two warring groups were separated. One of the inmates, Gurjinder Singh, of Sangatpur village, falling in Batala police district, claimed some addicts were trying to steal his belongings. “They got angry when I stopped them and started beating me,” he said. The fighting went on for two hours. A message was sent to the Gurdaspur SSP who, in turn, deputed an inspector-rank officer Jatinder Pal Singh, to control the situation. Jatinder had a hard time pacifying the irritated inmates.

Meanwhile, fear psychosis seems to have gripped the staff members following last night’s fight and also due to the escape of the addicts. “We need security, otherwise we will face a difficult situation where addicts may even attack us. They are unable to think logically and rationally because they are going through the withdrawal phase during which the mind and body get weak,” said a counsellor.

At present, 31 addicts are being treated, while scores visit the outdoor patient department (OPD) at the centre every day.

The facility was opened in 1991 and is being operated under the guidelines of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, New Delhi.