NHRC notices to Uttarakhand CS, DGP over murder of 24-year-old at Dehradun rehab
According to police, it came to light that rehabilitation centre manager and three other staffers on April 10 night had beaten the person leading to his death
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India on Tuesday issued notices to Uttarakhand chief secretary SS Sandhu and director general of police Ashok Kumar seeking a detailed report over the alleged murder of a 24-year-old man at a rehabilitation centre in Dehradun’s Chandramani area.
The reports should include the present status of the investigation and compensation and relief, if any, provided to the next of kin of the deceased, the commission stated.
According to police, it came to light that rehabilitation centre manager and three other staffers on April 10 night had beaten the person leading to his death.
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They then took the man’s body in the manager’s car and dropped it at the victim’s house in Clement Town.
On April 15, Dehradun police had arrested four staffers of the rehabilitation centre in connection with the murder.
In a press release issued on Tuesday, the commission said, “According to the media report, carried on 13th April, 2023, the patients of the Dehradun de-addiction centre, have said that their beatings were frequent and routine, as were hunger and lack of hygiene. No doctor or counsellor ever visited the centre.”
The commission earlier had taken suo motu cognizance of two similar incidents at de-addiction centres in Noida and Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh and sought reports from the concerned authorities.
It said the commission has observed that all three rehabilitation centres, two in UP and one in Uttarakhand were run by private entities.
“It needs serious consideration as to whether the de-addiction centres can be allowed to be operated by private entities, and if it is so, whether State(s) have ensured sufficient safety measures in place to protect the interest of the inmates with a view to achieving the desired goal,” the press release mentioned.
The commission also issued notices to chief secretaries of all states and union territories and secretary, union ministry of social justice and empowerment, seeking reports regarding status of de-addiction centres, among others.
