Key Takeaways
- Punjab authorities conducted a joint operation against an unauthorized de-addiction centre, rescuing 76 individuals who were illegally detained and physically abused.
- The operation, led by Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal and SSP Harvinder Singh Virk, targeted unauthorized centres run by Baba Deep Singh Welfare Society and the Turning Point De-addiction Center.
- Punjab administration has a zero-tolerance policy against drug abuse and unauthorized centres, vowing strict and sustained action.
Shahkot: Under its flagship campaign ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’, the civil and police administration of Jalandhar district in Punjab conducted a joint operation against unauthorized de-addiction centres in the Shahkot area on Wednesday.
Official sources said 76 individuals were rescued from two such illegal facilities.
The operation, led by Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal and SSP Harvinder Singh Virk, targeted unauthorized centres. 47 people were rescued from Dhandwal, and 29 individuals were freed from Bajwa Kalan, officials said.
FIRs have been registered against the property owners and operators of both centres, and investigations are underway.
Authorities said patients in these centres were illegally detained, physically abused, and in some cases, confined for over seven months.
The DC reiterated the administration’s zero-tolerance policy against drug abuse and unauthorized centres, vowing strict and sustained action.
DC Aggarwal emphasized that the administration is equally focused on the rehabilitation and adequate care of drug-dependent individuals, alongside law enforcement measures. He also highlighted recent similar actions in other places, where 137 individuals were rescued from illegal de-addiction centres.
SSP Virk warned that strict legal action will be taken against anyone running unauthorized centres, as such operations jeopardize lives and violate human rights.
