CHENNAI: Three people including the owner of a de-addiction centre near Sholavaram were detained and the centre was shut down after a 14-year-old boy was allegedly beaten to death by the staff members.
The minor boy was admitted to the centre 10 days ago and he died on Tuesday night. Fifteen other boys from the centre were sent home with their parents, said the police. No arrests have been made so far.
The boy, his brother and his mother lived at Gummidipoondi in Tiruvallur district after his father passed away, said the police. She works as a daily wage labourer. “The boys used to accompany their mother to work often. However, after finishing Class 7 from a government school in the locality, the victim dropped out of school and allegedly began drinking with his friends,” said N Manivannan, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Red Hills.
On the recommendation of neighbours, the boy’s mother admitted him to the de-addiction centre on Chennai-Vijayawada NH near Sholavaram on January 21. The centre owned by Vijayakumar admitted boys up to 18 years old, said the police.
“On Tuesday at around 11 pm, the mother received a phone call from the centre that the boy was found unconscious in the bathroom and was being taken to a hospital. Vijayakumar later told the mother that the boy had died at the Stanley Government Hospital,” said SP Manivannan.
The woman rushed to the hospital and after looking at the body claimed there were bruise marks on the neck, shoulder and stomach and alleged that her son was physically abused at the centre. Based on her complaint, the police registered a case under CrPC 174 (unnatural death).
After a preliminary investigation, police said the boy was regularly beaten up at the centre and detained three people for questioning. Police said action will be taken after the postmortem report on Thursday. The centre also admitted boys who were not addicted to anything but were unruly.” We found a certificate issued by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) in Kilpauk, but we are conducting an inquiry to find out if the centre has a licence from the mental health department,” said Manivannan.
Speaking to TNIE, a senior health official said, juveniles can be admitted to de-addiction centres provided the staff are properly trained to handle them. “Any person with substance abuse goes through behavioural changes which have to be treated clinically. In the case of juveniles, the person in charge has to be given proper training,” said the official.