Samrala police rescue 19 youth from fake de-addiction centre; owner held

Addressing a press conference in Samrala on Wednesday, deputy superintendent of police (DSP, Samrala) Tarlochan Singh said that Samrala SHO Harvinder Singh received secret information about a fake de-addiction centre operating in Chak Mafi village

The Samrala police rescued 19 youths from an unregistered drug de-addiction centre in Chak Mafi village in Samrala on Tuesday.

The alleged operator of the fake centre, Jaswinder Singh, who had taken the premises on contract and was running the facility, has been arrested. (HT Photo for representation)

Addressing a press conference in Samrala on Wednesday, deputy superintendent of police (DSP, Samrala) Tarlochan Singh said that Samrala SHO Harvinder Singh received secret information about a fake de-addiction centre operating in Chak Mafi village.

According to the tip-off, 19 youths had been forcibly admitted and were being kept there against their will. Acting on the information, the Samrala police conducted a raid with a team of doctors and an executive magistrate. During the raid, it was found that the de-addiction centre was being run illegally without any licence. No trained doctor or psychiatrist was present at the centre, and no medical treatment was being provided to the admitted youths. Those lodged at the centre included individuals addicted to alcohol and cannabis.

The alleged operator of the fake centre, Jaswinder Singh, who had taken the premises on contract and was running the facility, has been arrested. A case has been registered against him under various sections, and further legal action has been initiated.