In a decisive clampdown under the Punjab government’s Yudh Nashian Virudh initiative, civil and police authorities today dismantled two unauthorized de-addiction facilities in the Shahkot area, liberating 76 individuals and launching criminal proceedings against those responsible.
Under the direct supervision of Deputy Commissioner Dr. Himanshu Aggarwal and Senior Superintendent of Police Harvinder Singh Virk, multi-departmental squads conducted simultaneous raids at:
- Baba Deep Singh Welfare Society centre, Village Dhandwal
– Rescued: 47 residents
– Action: FIR registered against the property owner and society members at Shahkot Police Station; probe underway. - Turning Point De-addiction Centre, Village Bajwa Kalan
– Rescued: 29 residents
– Action: Case filed and inquiries initiated by Shahkot Police.
Teams from the civil administration, district rural police, health department, and drug control unit also inspected other de-addiction facilities around Shahkot city to verify licensing and welfare standards.
“Our investigation has revealed these so-called centres were nothing more than illegal prisons—patients were held against their will, subjected to harsh treatment, and in some cases confined for over seven months without medical oversight,” Dr. Aggarwal remarked. “This administration has zero tolerance for both narcotics and those who exploit vulnerable individuals under the guise of rehabilitation.”
Dr. Aggarwal reaffirmed that action will continue against illicit de-addiction operators and emphasized concurrent efforts to ensure rescued patients receive proper medical care and psychosocial support. Earlier phases of the campaign yielded the rescue of 34 individuals from Jamsher and 103 from Samrai.
Residents requiring assistance or wishing to report suspicious activity are urged to call the district’s 24×7 De-addiction Helpline at 0181-2911969 or WhatsApp the Punjab government’s Narcotics Control Helpline at 9779-100-200. All informants’ identities will be strictly protected.
Echoing his colleague, SSP Virk warned, “Anyone—individual or organization—running an unlicensed de-addiction centre will face the full force of the law. These operators endanger lives, and we will not allow them to act with impunity.”
The operation was spearheaded by SP (Investigation) Sarabjit Rai, DSP Onkar Singh Brar (Shahkot), Tehsildar Harminder Singh Sidhu, and a team of medical officers and drug inspectors, including SMO Chander Deepak, Dr. Lajwinder Kumar, Dr. Abhairaj Singh, Dr. Rajdeep Kaur, and Dr. Taranjit. Continuous surveillance will be maintained to ensure permanent closure of unauthorized rehabilitation facilities across the district.
