Three Arrested in Varanasi After Patient Beaten to Death in Rehab Centre
Sarnath police on Saturday arrested three individuals, including the operator of a drug de-addiction centre, for allegedly beating a young patient to death. The arrests followed a detailed investigation and a damning post-mortem report that confirmed the victim died from injuries sustained in a brutal assault.
Arrests Follow Mother's Heart-Wrenching Complaint
The case came to light when Pratibha Goswami rushed her 27-year-old son, Aditya Goswami, to a private hospital on January 2, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. Distraught and noticing injury marks on her son's body, she immediately filed a formal complaint with the Sarnath police.
In her complaint, she stated that her son had been struggling with alcohol addiction. Hoping for his recovery, she admitted him to the Jan Sudhar Nasha Mukti Kendra (Buddha City) in December. She alleged that the centre's staff, led by main operator Yuvraj, repeatedly prevented her from meeting or even seeing her son for many days.
Her worst fears were realized on January 2 when the centre called her, informing her that Aditya was unconscious. When she took him to the hospital, it was too late.
Post-Mortem Report Seals Fate of Accused
Initially, the centre operators denied all allegations. However, the investigation took a decisive turn after the post-mortem examination report was received. The report conclusively stated that Aditya Goswami's death was caused by injuries from a brutal beating.
Armed with this forensic evidence and after gathering more proof, Sarnath police arrested the centre's main operator, Yuvraj, and his two associates, Kumar Saurav and Jitendra Gupta, on Saturday. ACP Sarnath, Vidush Saxena, confirmed that the accused confessed to beating the youth during the investigation.
Calls for Stricter Oversight of Rehabilitation Facilities
This tragic incident has sent shockwaves through the community and raised serious questions about the regulation and oversight of private de-addiction and rehabilitation centres. The case highlights a grievous breach of trust, where a facility meant for healing and recovery became the site of a horrific crime.
The police have booked the accused under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. The investigation is ongoing to determine the full sequence of events and whether there were more victims or accomplices involved.
