Drug overdose claims another life in Ludhiana

It is the second death due to suspected drug overdose in the past three days; on April 3, a hospital employee had also died under similar circumstances in Ludhiana’s Samrala

A cattle trader died of suspected drug overdose in Bahlolpur village of Machhiwara and his body was found in front of a dera run by a transgender, police said on Thursday. Kin of the victim accused the dera chief of giving drugs to him after which the Machhiwara police registered an FIR against Renu Mahant.

Kin of the victim accused the dera chief of giving drugs to him after which Ludhiana police registered an FIR against Renu Mahant. (Image for representational purpose)

The victim has been identified as Balbir Singh, 34, of Shatabgarh village.

It is the second death due to suspected drug overdose in the past three days. On April 3, a hospital employee had also died under similar circumstances in Samrala.

The FIR has been registered on the basis of the statement of Samittar Kaur, mother of the victim.

In her statement, she mentioned that her son was a drug addict. On Wednesday morning, she said, Balbir had left the house saying that he will return in a few minutes. “When he did not come back home till afternoon, we initiated a search for him,” she told the police.

In the evening, they found Balbir Singh lying unconscious in front of the dera of Renu Mahant. An empty syringe was also found near him, she said. They rushed him to a hospital, where the doctors declared him dead upon arrival.

Kaur alleged that her son had died due to overdose of drug administered by Mahant.

Samrala deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Harwinder Singh Khaira also reached the spot.

Machhiwara SHO Vijay Kumar said the FIR has been registered under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the IPC against Renu Mahant.

Balbir was sent to de-addiction centres four times, but he used to consume drugs after being discharged, it has been learnt.