Patient beaten to death at rehab centre after argument

Hyderabad: A 50-year-old man undergoing treatment at a rehabilitation centre in Keesara for alcohol de-addiction was beaten to death by another inmate, following a petty argument late Sunday night. Police have registered a murder case and launched a manhunt for the accused.The deceased, identified as Krishna Goud, a resident of Vinayak Nagar in Neredmet, worked as a centering labourer and had been addicted to alcohol. Two years ago, his family admitted him to Jyothy rehabilitation centre in Nagaram, Keesara, where he had been receiving treatment. On Monday morning, Krishna's family received a phone call from the facility owner, Bhanu, informing them of his death. When they rushed to the centre, they found him lying on a bed with visible bruises. Other patients told them that Krishna had been assaulted by Khayyum, another patient who also served as floor incharge. According to police, it all began around 10.30 pm on Sunday when Krishna argued with another inmate, Rajasekhar, over the use of toilets and drinking water. Khayyum intervened but, when Krishna refused to stop arguing, he allegedly tied him to a window grill and assaulted him repeatedly with punches and kicks. Later, he untied him, tied him again to the bed, and continued the attack until Krishna collapsed. "Khayyum left him on the bed and went to sleep. In the morning, when Krishna did not wake up, other patients alerted the staff. A doctor was called, and he was declared dead," said Kushaiguda ACP Y Venkat Reddy. Police shifted the body to Gandhi Hospital for postmortem. Preliminary investigations revealed that the rehabilitation centre has been running for over two years with 105 patients, charging ₹12,000 per month per person. Authorities are verifying whether the facility has the necessary govt approvals. A murder case has been booked against Khayyum, who fled the centre after the assault, abandoning his mobile phone. Police are making efforts to trace the accused, who is a native of Nizamabad.

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