Punjab: 3 arrested, 14 rescued as illegal drug de-addiction centre busted in Fatehgarh Sahib

PATIALA: In a joint operation of health officials and the district administration, an illegal drug de-addiction centre which was running under the name of ‘Khalsa Welfare Foundation’ has been exposed in Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab . The authorities rescued as many as 14 addicts being allegedly tortured in the center.

The center was being run at Panjoli Khurd village and three accused Harinder Singh of Bhamarsi Buland village, Harpreet Singh alias Aman of mata gujri colony Fatehgarh Sahib and Narinder Singh of Ladpur Turan Mandi Gobindgarh were arrested on the spot whereas one of the accused Kulwant Singh, the mastermind, has been absconding with some other unidentified persons.

On the tip-off, the administration directed civil surgeon to send a team of doctors on the spot. Deputy Medical Commissioner and team of doctors along with DSP Raminder Singh Kahlon conducted the raid.

DSP Kahlon said that the accused running this illegal drug de-addiction centre were used to bring drug addicts form their homes during mid night and they were being tortured at the centre. He claimed that a kind of jail type cells were also prepared in the center for drug addicts and no facility was available for them.

The police said, “The drug addict victims said that the accused at this centre use to beat them and were not even providing food to them.”

DSP kahlon said that the case had been registered against the accused while the absconding accused would be nabbed soon.