IT News
Imphal, July 12:
The Union of Treatment and Rehabilitation of Users for Social Transformation (U-Trust) has revealed the practice of illegal activities, including illegal detention and punishment, going on in Punshi Lambi, a rehabilitation centre at Patsoi .
Speaking to the media today, Naorem Buddha Singh, vice-president U-Trust reported that distressing noises of inmates being beaten could be heard from the Punshi Lambi rehabilitation centre on June 9. According to him, “when U-TRUST members visited the centre next day, the organization discovered that inmates were subjected to illegal punishment and were being held unlawfully. “
Naorem Buddha Singh stated, “We realized they are being kept illegally. Inmates have been picked up illegally. We have rescued six of them and relocated them to a Social Welfare-recognized center.”
U-TRUST met with the family members of the rescued individuals and informed them about the ongoing situation. He said “one family disclosed that their ward was abducted by someone on behalf of the rehabilitation center and they were demanded to pay exorbitant fees, far exceeding the actual treatment costs.”
He highlighted that this is not an isolated incident, with many individuals having been illegally picked up. U-TRUST is urging for an end to such unethical practices and emphasizing the necessity of obtaining family consent for patient treatment. He said there have been instances where we were contacted by family and the patients have been kept in social welfare-recognized centers.
“Efforts to contact Punshi Lambi have been unsuccessful, as the rehabilitation center remains closed and their phones switched off,” according to U-Trust Vice President.