Days after a suspended police constable died at a de-addiction centre in Trichy city, a team of experts have inspected and submitted a report on the inadequacies of the facility. The team, led by professor Niranjana Devi who belongs to the Department of Psychiatry of KAPV Government Medical College, has listed lack of adequate infrastructure and qualified professionals to handle inmates as the most glaring problems at the centre. The report also said that the centre could not produce any documents to prove they have a license to function.
The Life Care de-addiction centre, which is located in KK Nagar in Trichy, came under the scanner after one of its inmates, 36-year-old Tamilselvan, died there days after being admitted for alcohol addiction. Tamilselvan was admitted there on May 28, and on June 1, his family received information of his death due to seizures. While conducting his last rites however, his family found bruises on his torso, head and limbs. Suspicious, they went and filed a complaint in the KK Nagar police station. Following this, a government ordered inspection was done at the centre.
“There had been 26 inmates at the centre. But from first glance it was evident that they didn’t have the infrastructure to support the patients,” said Niranjana, “They had no beds or pillows. There were only two bathrooms present in the building and there was not enough space to accommodate the inmates.”
What was even more worrisome for the team conducting the inspection was the lack of qualified professionals to handle those being admitted for addiction.
“There was only one staff personnel when we went there. He claimed to be a social worker but admitted that he had only completed 10th standard. As for the doctors they had listed on their roll, there was no proof that they even came to the centre,” she said.
Then how did such a centre even function? Were there no regular audits conducted?
“Actually, from what we have learnt, it seems that they never applied for an inspection after they opened the centre. We were not given any documents to prove that they had a license,” said Niranjana.
Speaking to TNM, a relative of Tamilselvan said they found the details of the centre online. “When we brought him to the centre, they showed us a room with a single cot in it and said this is where he will be staying,” said Elangeeran, “But later he was moved to a large hall with other inmates on the top floor. They did not even have individual beds. But we were charged Rs 20,000 for a month.”
The family suspected foul play in Tamilselvan’s death based on the injuries on his body and visited the centre a day after the final rites. “That is when we went upstairs and saw how the patients were actually accommodated,” he said. But the time the inspection team visited the centre, there was only patient left. “The patients told us that they were being chained and beaten up,” he alleged.
Niranjana however said she found no proof of violence and that only a criminal investigation can say whether this is true.
“We have submitted the report to the Director of our medical college. They will now look into it and decide on how to proceed further,” she added.
The police meanwhile have filed a case of unnatural death and are waiting for the results of the post mortem before conducting further investigations.
Source: The News Minute