Man found dead at de-addiction centre in Cuttack

Cuttack: A 37-year-old man was found dead under mysterious circumstances at a private de-addiction centre in Uttamapur under Sadar police station limits on Tuesday morning.The deceased was identified as Soumyaranjan Das, a resident of Jatni.

An engineering graduate, Das was reportedly working in Mumbai and had returned home due to depression. He had been undergoing treatment at the centre for the past three months.According to the police, Das was allegedly killed by a group of inmates following an altercation on Diwali night. The clash reportedly took place when Das raised an alarm after noticing some inmates trying to flee the centre, taking advantage of the festive night and reduced vigilance.

The inmates, angered by the failed escape attempt, allegedly pinned him down and strangled him with a towel.The next morning, the centre’s staff found Das lying unconscious with a towel around his neck. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.Police have detained four inmates for questioning and launched an investigation to ascertain the circumstances leading to his death.DCP Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo said, “We have detained four persons for interrogation and are verifying the sequence of events that occurred on Diwali night. The cause of death will be confirmed only after receiving the autopsy report. Strict action will be taken against anyone found guilty.” Police are also examining CCTV footage for clues.