Bhubaneswar: Dhanupali police in Sambalpur launched a raid on a rehabilitation centre for mentally retarded persons on Monday, following disturbing allegations of torture against its residents.
The centre, located in the Dhanupali locality of Sambalpur district, is managed by ‘Samartha’, a voluntary organisation under the umbrella of Adarsha Shishu Mandir.
Tofan Bag, Sadar Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) said, “The facility is intended to provide a haven and essential care for individuals with mental disabilities. We received a video showing ill-treatment meted out by the authorities of the organization located at Netaji Nagar.”
He further said, “We raided the rehab centre to probe the matter. Rengali MLA also visited the rehab centre after he came to know about it. District Social Security Officer (DSSO) has been asked to initiate a probe and submit a report following which we will take necessary action.”
