By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 23: The Meghalaya government has ordered a probe into the death of two youth from the state in two rehabilitation centres in Assam.
Social Welfare Minister Paul Lyngdoh on Saturday said as soon as he had received the news, he asked the Principal Secretary to initiate an inquiry to find out what happened.
“I should be getting the report by Monday mid-day,” he said.
The Meghalaya Users Forum (MUF) said Rickelson Jyrwa, a resident of Golf Link, and Meban Syndor from Mawlai Mawtawar, who were undergoing rehabilitation at the Better Living Wellness Foundation, Mangaldai and the Alive Again Foundation, Chandrapur, Hatisila, Guwahati respectively had died under mysterious circumstances.
The Better Living Wellness Foundation is run by Arup Jerial Passah and Sabir Khan. Passah and one Shahid run the Alive Again Foundation.
According to MUF, the circumstances surrounding their deaths are highly suspicious. It said there are reports that Syndor’s body was handed to his relatives by the rehabilitation administration without the conduct of autopsy. There was no police involvement in the case either, the forum said.
Meanwhile, in a twist, the parents of the deceased said MUF did not take their consent before filing a complaint against the rehabilitation centres.
They trashed the allegation of foul play. They warned that they will take legal recourse if MUF does not withdraw its complaint.
Adding to the mystery is the revelation of an “alleged nexus” between the HYC and the co-owner of the rehabilitation centres, Passah. He is said to be a close aide of the HYC that picks up addicts from the streets, puts them in rehabs without following the due process of law and allegedly tortures them.
The state government had earlier cautioned the HYC to work within the ambit of law after it had burnt drugs, recovered from addicts, without informing the law enforcing agencies.
The Association of Drug Rehabilitation Council (ADRC), Assam on Saturday confirmed the allegations of torture and ill treatment meted out to drug addicts at the two rehabs.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, ADRC senior member Manas Das said, “We went with proper permission of the DC, Minister and police IC. We thoroughly checked the centres. We also collected some video evidences.”
Referring to a viral picture of four inmates of one of the centres stripped naked and tortured, he said, “They admitted that the picture is from their centre. I have the proof. Probably, both centres will be closed down.”
According to Das, this is not an isolated case and many such incidents occurred before but they went unreported.
“We are trying our best as many incidents have occurred in this centre. It is not just this time,” he said.
Stating that most inmates are from Meghalaya, he said, “Patients are supplied by Arup Passah who co-runs both centres and is very close to HYC. Whenever HYC finds any drug addicts, it hands them over to Passah and he admits them to the rehabilitation centres, sometimes without informing the guardians.”
“He is kind of a commission broker who does everything anonymously,” Das said.
Alleging that the inmates of the rehabs are tortured daily, he said, “We have video evidence and the picture of the four boys from Alive Again foundation.”
Das said they will submit their findings to the Assam government and file an FIR.
“We are providing all the proof to the Minister concerned and it will be better if the guardians of the patients come and file the FIR as it will make the case stronger,” he said.
According to sources, many parents and guardians keep quiet due to the fear of stigma.