Thane: A 30-year-old software engineer who was been admitted to Dahlia Foundation Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre at Nadgaon village in Shahapur (Thane district) was allegedly beaten black and blue on February 23 by two caretakers, with the involvement of two directors at the centre.
Akshay Nitin Ingle, 30, who was living with his parents and two siblings in Dharavi, had been addicted to alcohol for three years. On December 12, 2022, his father admitted him to the rehabilitation centre at Shahapur for treatment.
Akshay's complaint to the police states that on February 23, he was having tea as usual around 4.30pm when he noticed fellow inmate Jivak Mahendra Kadam having a biscuit with the tea. Ingle asked him for one and was given half a biscuit. Caretakers Anand Pawar and Santosh Salunkhe noticed this. After having dinner, Ingle was sitting on his bed when rehabilitation centre directors Saaji P David and Sangeeta Brahmane approached him around 11.30pm.
"Asking for a biscuit is not allowed at the rehabilitation centre"
“They asked me if I had taken a biscuit from Kadam and I replied yes. They said that asking for a biscuit is not allowed at the rehabilitation centre and that I would have to be punished as I had broken the rules,” Akshay told the police. According to him, the directors left and the two caretakers came in with the stick. He was then asked to lie down and flogged by the duo.
Akshay's complaint further states that when his parents went to pick him up on February 25, the directors called him aside and warned against telling his family about the incident, threatening to come to his house and thrash him again if he did.
Police inspector Rajkumar Maruti Upase at Shahapur police station said, “The incident came to light on February 25 itself. Akshay was sitting at his home after taking a bath when his parents notices the beating marks on his body and inquired about them. Akshay told them about the incident at the rehab centre, after which they complained to us.”
The Shahapur police registered a first information report (FIR) against all four on March 1, but no arrests have been made so far. “We have sent them a notice and action will be initiated against them as per due process,” Upase said.
When contacted by FPJ, David said he will revert back with his version of what transpired, but there was no response till the time of going to press.
