Four de-addiction facility staffers in Surat beat patient to death for refusal to take medicines

Surat, Mar 5 (PTI) A 32-year-old man undergoing treatment at a de-addiction facility in Gujarat's Surat city was beaten to death allegedly by four staffers after he refused to take medicines, a police official said.

As per a release from police, the incident took place at Reeva Vyasan Mukti and Rehab Centre located in Dumas area here.

The four persons allegedly responsible for the death of Dhaval Rathod (32), who had been admitted to the facility for addiction treatment on February 28, comprise two counsellors, a ward boy and a driver, Assistant Commissioner of Police Shweta Daniel told reporters.

"They thrashed Rathod after he refused to take medicines. On the night of March 1, Rathod was taken to New Civil Hospital in a 108 ambulance after his condition deteriorated. The on-duty doctor there declared him dead. However, police noticed injury marks, after which the body was sent for post mortem," Daniel said.

"The post mortem revealed that Rathod died due to physical injuries sustained on the head, waist and other parts of the body. Police thoroughly questioned the staffers of the facility as well as other patients. It was revealed the accused had a scuffle with Rathod as he was refusing to take medicines. They beat him up with sticks," the ACP said.

Jignesh Desai, Rohan Sanghani, Shailesh Vaghela and Dilip Joshi were arrested and charged with murder and other offences, police said. PTI COR PJT PD BNM