Chandigarh, March 3: An investigation has been launched into a high-stakes theft at the Dhuri sub-divisional hospital where over 20,000 buprenorphine tablets were stolen overnight. Local police and health department officials are currently probing the breach, which occurred despite the storage area being double-locked by hospital staff.
Station House Officer (SHO) Jasveer Singh affirmed that authorities are utilizing CCTV footage and local intelligence to identify the culprits. The theft has raised alarms within the health department, as the stolen quantity of opioid substitute therapy (OST) medication is significant. Officials stated that a computer was also taken during the break-in, which might contain sensitive patient data or inventory records.
During a visit to the facility, Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh declared that the security lapse was unacceptable. He maintained that because the government distributes these pills for free to those in recovery, the motive behind the theft is likely black-market distribution. The minister affirmed that the department is not ruling out the possibility of an “inside job” given the specific nature of the items targeted.
“Internal involvement will be probed as theft of de-addiction pills recurs at the hospital,” the minister asserted. He stated that the government is committed to tightening security at all such facilities across Punjab to prevent future losses. “If any employee is found complicit, strict action will be taken,” Dr. Balbir Singh declared.
