Unable to afford treatment for her 28-year-old drug addict son and to ensure his safety, a widow was forced to chain him with a tree in Samrala’s Sehala village.
The only caretaker of the youth, who has been suffering from substance abuse symptoms, his 55-year-old mother said she had no other choice but to leave him alone chained to make a living as a domestic help.
As villagers realised the family’s plight, they raised the issue on social media, following which the district administration swung into action and shifted the youth to the Samrala civil hospital for de-addiction treatment.
The woman said her son appeared psychotic due to drug abuse. He had been assaulting people and stealing things to arrange money for more drugs.
Her husband had died a year before he got addicted to drugs two years ago and had since sold most of their household belongings to fuel his addiction.
“I sold my television to get him treated at a drug de-addiction centre, and also appealed to the panchayat and NGOs for help, but to no avail,” said the woman, whose two daughters are married.
“I had high hopes from my son that he would help bring us out of poverty, but instead he has become a responsibility for me,” she added.
{{/usCountry}}“I had high hopes from my son that he would help bring us out of poverty, but instead he has become a responsibility for me,” she added.
{{/usCountry}}She rued that her house was left with nothing but a leaking roof, forcing them to lead a miserable life.
Samrala senior medical officer (SMO) Dr Tarikjot Singh said they had rescued the man and started his de-addiction treatment at the civil hospital.
Ramesh Kumar, a former sarpanch of the village, said nearly 80 men out of the 3,000-odd population of the village were addicted to drugs amid no check on their supply.