Following the death of a suspended police constable at The Life Care De-Addiction Centre in Trichy, an inspection found the hospital to be grossly inadequate. A team led by professor Niranjana Devi from KAPV Government Medical College’s Department of Psychiatry, found the centre to have a lack of adequate infrastructure and qualified professionals. There were no documents to show that the hospital was licensed either.

36-year-old constable Tamilselvan had been admitted in the hospital on May 28th for alcohol addiction. They had found the centre online. When we brought him to the centre, they showed us a room with a single cot in it and said this is where he will be staying, said his relative Elangeeran. He mentioned: But later he was moved to a large hall with other inmates on the top floor. They did not even have individual beds. But we were charged Rs 20,000 for a month.” The centre informed the family of his death on June 1st saying it was due to seizures. Bruises on his torso, head, and limbs made them suspect foul play and they filed a complaint at the KK Nagar police station. On visiting the centre after his death, the family found that the patients were all in one hall and were told by them that they had been chained and beaten up. Investigations are ongoing and a case of unnatural death has been filed.

Niranjana Devi reported: “There had been 26 inmates at the centre. But from first glance, it was evident that they didn't have the infrastructure to support the patients. They had no beds or pillows. There were only two bathrooms present in the building and there was not enough space to accommodate the inmates.” She added: “There was only one staff personnel when we went there. He claimed to be a social worker but admitted that he had only completed 10th standard. As for the doctors they had listed on their roll, there was no proof that they even came to the centre.” The organization had never applied for a license. A criminal investigation will show if there was violence involved in their treatment. This incident is abysmal and shows the need for regular review and evaluation of treatment centres.