SALEM: The owner of a private drug de-addiction centre in Salem was arrested on Friday in connection with the death of a 29-year-old youth, who was undergoing treatment in the facility. The accused was identified as K Bhoopathi(32), a resident of Mottur near Elampillai.
According to sources, K Chandrasekar, a graduate and a power loom worker, from Elampillai was admitted to the facility at Magudanchavadi on November 26, after he became addicted to liquor following the death of his father a few months ago. On Thursday midnight, Chandrasekar’s family got a call from the centre that he was unconscious. When his mother Easwari, and relatives went there, they found bruises on his body and took him to a nearby private hospital for treatment. But the doctors, who examined him, declared him dead and the body was sent to Salem GH.
Following this, Easwari filed a complaint to Magudanchavadi police station about the incident. According to police, Chandrasekar had been shouting and acting ferociously in the de-addiction centre on Thursday and refused to sleep. Due to this, the owner, Bhoopathi, allegedly tied him up. Chandrasekar tried to free himself, which caused the bruises. As he was tied up for more than four hours, his pulse dropped and he died.
Bhoopathi was booked under Section 304 (part ii) of the IPC and arrested on Friday night. Bhoopathi has been running the centre for the past eight months. Currently, 24 people are undergoing treatment there. Steps are being taken to shift them to other centres, police added. Chandrasekar’s family refused to receive the body and staged a protest till Friday night.