NHRC issues notices to the Government of Uttar Pradesh over alleged death of an inmate in a drug rehab centre in Ghaziabad

New Delhi, 20th March, 2023

The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, India has taken a suo motu cognizance of a media report that a 45-year-old man admitted to a drug rehabilitation centre died as he was allegedly beaten to death by the Manager and his four accomplices in Ghaziabad district of Uttar Pradesh.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the media report, if true, amount to a violation of the victim's human rights. Accordingly, it has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh, calling for a detailed report in the matter. It should also include the present status of the investigation of the case and compensation and relief, if any, provided to the next of kin of the deceased person by the government authorities. The Government is also directed to issue necessary guidelines to the authorities concerned to collect data from all the districts of Uttar Pradesh regarding such rehabilitation centres and to take action against such facilities running in violation of law without obtaining requisite permission from the government agencies.

According to the media report, the centre has been running from a rented building for the last four months, and eight persons are presently admitted. The police have reportedly not found any documents regarding permission for running such a centre in the said building.

*****