Earlier 24 drug addicts had escaped from Mohali center
PHAGWARA: In a troubling incident that has raised questions about security lapses and administrative decisions, four drug addicts escaped from the Drug De-Addiction Centre at Civil Hospital Phagwara Tuesday evening.
The escape occurred around 5:15 PM when a group of seven inmates allegedly attempted to flee during a routine activity on hospital premises.
Earlier two weeks back 24 drug addicts had escaped from drug addiction center Mohali, operated by Punjab Health Department. The government had supressed the news and no official statement was issued by the health authorities. It is believed that those escaped were allegedly forcibly admitted to drug addiction centers to show high targets of de-addiction programme.(Report by PunjabNews Express Bureau)
According to initial reports, the inmates were instructed to put clothes out to dry in the playground area when they reportedly overpowered a ward attendant and made a run for it. While three of the seven were quickly apprehended by the Centre’s staff, four managed to escape and remain at large.
The individuals who successfully fled have been identified as Manpreet, Sukhwinder, , and Jaskaran, all residents of Ranipur, near Phagwara—as well as Amandeep, a resident of Gohawar in Tehsil Phillaur, District Jalandhar.
Sources within the hospital have revealed that the escape may have been orchestrated with internal help. One Harjinder Kumar, a staff member deployed at the Centre under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, is believed to have masterminded the escape plan. The group allegedly manhandled Pankaj Heer, a ward attendant, before executing their escape, said Senior Medical Officer Dr Parminder Kaur.
What has intensified the controversy is the revelation that the Centre, which previously had a dedicated police guard posted for security, had the deployment withdrawn recently by local police authorities. The Senior Medical Officer (SMO) of Civil Hospital Phagwara had reportedly raised concerns in writing, urging the police department not to remove the guard due to the risk of escape attempts. However, the request went unheeded.
SMO Dr Parminder Kaur said a formal complaint regarding the incident has been lodged with the Station House Officer (SHO) of City Phagwara Police Station. Efforts are underway to track down the four escapees, with police teams reportedly combing nearby areas and checking known contacts and locations.
Hospital officials have expressed frustration over the absence of police protection, stating that the incident could likely have been prevented had the security arrangement remained in place. The escape has reignited discussions around the adequacy of resources and personnel assigned to drug rehabilitation facilities, especially those dealing with patients recovering from severe substance use disorders.u