DM orders closure of rehab centre
Staff Reporter
PASIGHAT, 23 Jul: Arunachal Pradesh State Human Rights Commission (APSHRC) has registered a case based on a complaint filed by Indigenous Lawyers Association of India (ILAI) in connection with the death of Olip Litin Mukherjee at Serene Life Foundation, Gumin Nagar here in East Siang district.
The Commission has directed the Arunachal Pradesh chief secretary to conduct a magisterial inquiry into the deaths of Mukherjee and one Indian Reserve Battalion personnel, who also reportedly died due to alleged torture at the Rehab Centre in May this year, and to submit the action taken report within two weeks.
The Commission directed that the government take appropriate action against the staff involved in the torture of inmates, including causing death of Mukherjee, and to reply “why an interim compensation should not be paid to deceased Mukherjee for violation of human rights.”
It further directed the chief secretary to submit a list of the drug rehabilitation centres-both private and government-functioning in all the districts along with the number of inmates in these rehab centres as on 30 June 2024, and submit the action taken reports within two weeks.
The commission has also directed the government to issue necessary guidelines to run rehab centres, conduct regular inspection and take action against those facilities, which are running without obtaining requisite permission from the government agencies and submit the action taken reports within 60 days.
According to the complainant, the state human rights commission said, Mukherjee was picked up by the members of Women Against Social Evil (WASE) from his friend Kaling Taga’s house on the suspicion of using drugs on 28 June. The WASE members took him to the rehab centre and detained him.
“During his detention, Olip Litin Mukherjee was brutally beaten by the staff of the Rehab Centre, leading to his death,” the APSHRC stated, quoting the complainant.
The complainant further stated that in May 2024, one personnel of the Indian Reserve Battalion from ‘Menchuka’ reportedly died due to alleged torture at the rehab centre.
“The two deaths in the Serene Life Foundation Rehab Centre due to torture suggest that there is complete lack of monitoring by the government authorities. Anyone can be caught and forced to undergo detention with their human rights violated at the Rehab Centres without any fear of the law,” the complainant said.
The complainant also claimed mushrooming of rehab centres in Arunachal Pradesh.
“….the case of Serene Life Rehab Centre suggests that the Rehab Centres are running in violation of the law without obtaining requisite permission from the government agencies and without necessary infrastructure and absence of trained staff,” it said.
Meanwhile, East Siang District Magistrate Tayi Taggu on Monday ordered the closure of Serene Life Foundation.
The centre will remain closed until further notice.
DC Tayi Taggu along with SP Dr. Sachin Kumar Singhal on Tuesday also reviewed the working of the three drug de-addiction and rehabilitation centers at Ruksin and Oyan areas, interacted with the inmates and inquired about their health.
During the visit, the DC took stock of the facilities being provided to the inmates at the de-addiction centers. He directed the authorities of the rehab centres to keep their facilities clean and healthy.
Taggu appealed to all the stakeholders to come together to fight the scourge of drugs.
“We should all work together and make people more aware of the ill effects of drugs and help those who have fallen into the trap of drugs for any reason,” he said.
The SP took stock of the measures taken so far for safety and security of the inmates and the infrastructure.
DMO Dr. K. Perme gave some important health tips to the inmates and laid stress on maintaining hygiene and practising yoga and physical activities on a regular basis.
During the visit, the DC and SP was accompanied by ASP Pankaj Lamba, Ruksin ADC Kiran Ningo, EAC Sanjay Taram, ICDS DD Machi Gao, DSP Ayup Boko, Ruksin PS OC Igel Lollen, WASE general secretary Joya Tasung Moyong. (With input from DIPRO)
