A 23-year-old inmate was found hanging inside a washroom at a private de-addiction centre in Indore on Saturday, after which more than 70 other inmates reportedly broke open the facility’s main gate and fled. Police have registered a case of unnatural death and are examining CCTV footage to establish what happened inside the centre and how the inmates escaped.
The deceased, identified as Sachin Lodhi from Ashok Nagar, had been admitted to the centre about a month ago, according to Raoji Bazaar police. His family had deposited his fees at the facility on Saturday morning but were informed of his death a few hours later.
According to Sachin’s family, he went to the washroom in the morning saying he wanted to take a bath. When he did not return for a considerable period, a security guard became suspicious. The washroom door reportedly remained locked for nearly an hour before the guard broke it open and found Sachin hanging inside.
Sachin was brought down and taken to MY Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on examination. Police said the incident took place between about 12.30pm and 1pm. His body has been sent to the mortuary for a postmortem examination, which is expected to help establish the circumstances surrounding the death.
The discovery triggered panic inside the centre. More than 70 inmates reportedly broke the lock on the main gate and escaped, while some climbed over the boundary wall to leave the premises. Police are now attempting to trace the inmates who fled from the facility.
The incident has also raised questions about supervision and safety arrangements at private addiction-treatment facilities. Sachin’s brother-in-law, Keshav Lodhi, alleged that the management was responsible for ensuring the safety and supervision of inmates. He questioned how Sachin could remain inside the washroom for such a long period without being noticed and demanded an inquiry into the circumstances of the death.
Raoji Bazaar police station in-charge Manish Mishra said the death had been recorded and that an investigation was under way. Police are examining CCTV footage to reconstruct the sequence of events, contacting Sachin’s family and gathering details about his stay at the centre. The investigation will also cover the circumstances in which the inmates broke out and the steps being taken to locate them.
