Man assaulted at de-addiction centre in Tiruchi dies, seven arrested

A 48-year-old man, who was admitted to a private de-addiction centre near Tiruchi recently and who was allegedly assaulted, died of his injuries at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital here on Monday. 

Seven persons, including the managing director of the centre, D. Manikandan, 50, have been arrested by the Somarasampet police.

A case under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), has been registered against the seven accused.

The victim was identified as S. Vijayakumar of Pammal in Kancheepuram district. The police said Vijayakumar was admitted to the Jaithra Foundation Deaddiction-cum-Rehabilitation Centre at Adhavathur on the outskirts of Tiruchi on January 8 by his relatives.

Vijayakumar was addicted to alcohol after he got separated from his wife Krishnaveni about five years ago.  As he continued with his drinking habit, his relatives got him admitted to the de-addiction centre at Adhavathur. One of his close relatives received information from the de-addiction centre on the night of January 10 that Vijayakumar had been admitted to the hospital.

Sources said Vijayakumar died on Monday morning. An autopsy was conducted and the body was handed over to his relatives.

Following his death, the police took up investigation. It came to light that Vijayakumar was allegedly abused and assaulted with sticks and pipes by a group at the centre during treatment.

S. Manimaran, 29, warden of the centre, M. Periyasamy, 34, M. Krishnamurthy, 30, C. Arivumani, 45, M. Abhishek, 27, and P. Suryaprakash, 28, all patients at the centre, were arrested in connection with the crime.

The centre was sealed on Monday on the order of Tiruchi District Collector V. Saravanan. The other 24 patients at the centre were shifted to the government hospital in Tiruchi for the time being.

IGP’s fiat to SPs

V. Balakrishnan, Inspector-General of Police, Central Zone, told The Hindu that he had instructed the Superintendent of Police of all districts in the zone to list the de-addiction centres in their jurisdiction and check whether they had a valid licence.

Instructions were also given to the SPs to find out if the methods used for treating the patients at the centres were in compliance with the law.