NHRC notices to govt on deaths of inmates at pvt drug de-addiction centres

The NHRC has issued notices to the Centre, states and the Union territories over reported deaths of inmates due to "torture" at private drug de-addiction centres, the rights panel said on Tuesday.

It has sought reports within four weeks on de-addiction centres presently available with the government sectors and if there are any rules or regulations framed under the NDPS Act to regulate the centres, besides other information.

Reportedly, a 24-year-old man was beaten to death by the people running a de-addiction centre in Chandramani area of Dehradun, Uttarakhand on April 10, the National Human Rights Commission said in a statement.

Prior to this, the Commission had taken suo motu cognisance of two similar incidents at de-addiction centres in Noida and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, and the reports have been sought, it said.

The NHRC has "taken suo motu cognisance of a media report of yet another death of an inmate at a private drug de-addiction centre - which is the third such incident