- Abhijit Nath, NET Correspondent, Tripura
Agartala, January 22, 2022 : An allegation of brutal torture and ruthless physical harassment upon addicted youth has been raised against a de-addiction centre named ‘New Jeevan Jyoti Foundation’ at West Dukhli near Chandimata club under Amtali police station area.
Binapani Debnath, an old woman of Dhaleshwar Road number-11 lodged a complaint with East Agartala Police Station on Saturday against the de-addiction centre named ‘New Jeevan Jyoti Foundation’ at West Dukhli for brutally torturing and physically harassing her grandson Basubjit Debnath (21) who was admitted in that centre on July 30, 2021.
Speaking to reporters after filing a complaint on Saturday afternoon, Binapani Debnath said “My grandson was addicted to Corex and foreign liquor. When it came to my knowledge, I shifted him to a De-addiction Centre named ‘New Jeevan Jyoti Foundation’ located at Dukhli for his speedy recovery on July 30 last.”
“The foundation’s owner is Dibyendu Das, who claimed that her grandson will be fine soon. But I found that my grandson was brutally tortured in the premises of that de-addiction centre. He was tortured so ruthlessly that his right leg has multiple injuries and cannot walk properly. Not only this, he was being stabbed with plastic water pipeline on his head several times”, she added.
Basubjit’s grandmother said “The surprising fact is that the grandson did not tell us anything. We hoped that his staying at the de-addiction centre will help him to recover and come back to his normal lifestyle after three-four months”.
She said “Accordingly, my grandson was brought back home after four months in December 2021. After bringing him home, we noticed he was unable to speak properly and walk like a lame person. When my grandson explained to us the brutal torture faced inside the centre, we did not accept it as truth. Later, his pains and sufferings drew our attention towards him. However, we don’t have any proof about his brutal torture inside the de-addiction centre.”
Binapani claimed “Day before yesterday, I read a report in a local vernacular daily that a boy studying in class VIII was admitted in this de-addiction centre by his mother, who works as a maid in different houses in Charilam area of Sepahijala district. That class VIII schoolboy was tortured so brutally that the 14-year old boy is completely bedridden. Hence, as there is a proof.”
“I am here to take revenge on why my grandson was tortured physically and beaten so brutally. We don’t pay for physical torture. According to the centre’s demand, we paid Rs 6,000 to Rs 9,000 per month. The centre also demanded separate money for doctor’s visits and blood tests, but never showed us the slips”, the old woman told reporters.
The old woman also alleged that this owner named Dibyendu is intoxicating himself sitting at his centre. At last, a case has been lodged against the in-charges of this de-addiction centre – Dibyendu Das and Rabidhan Chakma.
When contacted Dibyendu Das, founder of New Jeevan Jyoti Foundation on his mobile phone number, he replied saying the wrong number. When Dibyendu was been texted through Whatsapp at 3.09 PM, he replied at 3.28 PM that “She is blaming us without any point. We will do his full body checkup. Due to drug abuse, his legs got paralysed. We will take him to the hospital even we were told then it’s due to sodium potassium becoming low in his body nothing else. It’s an allegation without any proof but I can prove that these types of things never happen to my foundation”.
Being asked for the case number at East Agartala Police Station, OC Shibu Ranjan Dey claimed that the case is not yet registered and proper steps shall be initiated after examining the complaint. However, the copy has received the seal and signature. The officer also claimed that the incident took place six to eight months back, Binapani in the complaint copy clearly mentioned that Basubjit was admitted on July 30, 2021, and beaten on August 14, 2021, for the entire day.
