Drug addict clears Class X from rehab centre

Bhubaneswar: A drug addict, who tried to kill his family member at the age of 15, has found a new purpose in life thanks to the efforts of a de-addiction/rehabilitation centre in Cuttack. Having dropped out of school after Class VIII, the 18-year-old has now cleared Class X, scoring 380 out of 600.

The youth, who was adopted as an infant by a woman from Mayurbhanj district, got hooked on to drugs after he moved to an Odia-medium school. “In Class V, my mother transferred me from an English-medium school to an Odia-medium school. I came in contact with boys who taught me to drink liquor, smoke ganja and do drugs,” said the youth, who dropped out of school in 2020.

To buy drugs, he and his friends took to pickpocketing and stealing. “In 2023, I asked money from my mother to buy drugs. My brother opposed and under the influence of drugs, I attacked my brother. I tried to kill him, but my mother saved him,” he added.

With the help of police, he was brought to the rehab centre in Cuttack. Narottam Das, director of the centre, took care of the boy. “He did a bridge course to resume his study from Class VIII. We admitted him to a school in Choudwar. Now he has cleared his matric exam,” said Das.

“He aspires to pursue higher education in engineering and hopes to become a skilled (video) editor in the future,” said Das.

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