Assam govt employee Ashraful Haque dies in detox centre; family alleges assault

A 39-year-old man from Assam died under mysterious circumstances at a rehabilitation centre in Alipurduar, triggering allegations of assault by family members. Police have arrested the centre’s in-charge, Rajdeep Pal, and launched an investigation into the incident.

The deceased, identified as Ashraful Haque, was a government employee working at the District Magistrate’s office in Golakganj. According to his family, he had been admitted to a detoxification centre near Alipurduar Chowpatty on March 1 to overcome alcohol addiction. Family members alleged that Haque was healthy when he was admitted and had walked into the centre on his own. His brother, Anisur Haque, said they contacted the rehabilitation centre around noon on the day of the incident and were informed that Ashraful was doing well and taking medication.

However, the family later received a call the next morning informing them that he had died. The relatives questioned why they were not informed when he was taken to the hospital and claimed that there were several injury marks on his body. “We admitted him here for treatment. A healthy person cannot die suddenly like this. We suspect he was beaten to death,” Anisur Haque said, adding that a complaint had been lodged at Alipurduar Police Station. Meanwhile, rehabilitation centre in-charge Rajdeep Pal denied the allegations, stating that the patient had been tied up like other patients as part of the treatment process and had suddenly fallen ill during the night. “He became sick and another patient informed us. We immediately took him to the hospital. The truth will come out in the investigation,” Pal said. Following the complaint, police arrested Rajdeep Pal and started an investigation to determine the exact cause of death. The incident has created a sensation in the area.