Zira rehab centre owner booked as inmate dies during attempt to flee
Another suffers injuries, while seven walk to freedom after scaling the wall using a turban cloth
FEROZEPUR: The owner of a government-recognised drug rehabilitation centre in Zira has been booked for causing death due to negligence in connection with the death of an inmate who died in his attempt to flee the facility. Another inmate suffered injuries, while seven others walked to freedom safely from the centre in Zira sub-division of Ferozepur district.
FEROZEPUR: The owner of a government-recognised drug rehabilitation centre in Zira has been booked for causing death due to negligence in connection with the death of an inmate who died in his attempt to flee the facility.
The victim has been identified as Sukhminder Singh.
Another inmate suffered injuries, while seven others walked to freedom safely from the centre in Zira sub-division of Ferozepur district, on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday.
Jeevan Dan drug rehabilitation centre on Kot Isse Khan Road, 3 km from Zira, came into being in 2007 and it has the capacity to host about 50 inmates. Drugaddicts from various part of Punjab, Himachal and Haryana come here for treatment.
On Tuesday night, nine inmates scaled the wall of the centre using a turban cloth and seven of them crossed over safely. The cloth gave in when Sukhminder and Kulwinder Singh were clinging on to it, and they suffered injuries after a fall. Sukhminder later succumbed to his injuries.
Those who managed to flee have been identified as Manpreet Singh, Gurvinder Singh, Gurvinder Singh of Dharam Sing Wala, Gurcharan Singh of Faridkot,
SUKHMINDER SINGH WAS SCALING THE CENTRE’S WALL USING A CLOTH WHICH SNAPPED LEADING TO A FALL; HE LATER SUCCUMBED TO THE INJURIES
Parbhjinder Singh of Lopo tehsil in Ajnala, Raj Kumar of Pandori Khatrian and Karamjit Singh of Khadoor.
Centre owner Paramjit Singh ruled out any discrepancy on their part, saying they have adequate arrangements of security, facilities of indoor and outdoor sports and other recreational activities for the inmates.
Sukhminder’s wife Nirlep Kaur said she got admitted her husband to the centre for alcoholism three months back and there was lttle progress in his condition. She held the centre management responsible for the death of her husband.
Ferozepur SSP Pritam Singh said the owner of the centre has been booked under Section 304-A (causing death due to negligence) of the IPC, and a probe is on.
As per records, in the last 11 years, the rehabilitation centre has treated nearly 1,600 patients with a success rate of 60%. The centre has regular doctors, including psychiatrists, besides visitor medical experts.