LUDHIANA: An 18-year-old youth, who was addicted to drugs till recently, died of suspected drug overdose at Lakhewal village on Saturday. Importantly, the friend with whom he was allegedly taking drugs was booked by Koom Kalan police for causing the death.The deceased, identified as Gopi Kumar, worked at a card board factory on Kohara Sahnewal Road.Acting on the complaint of Gopi’s brother Sandeep Kumar, police registered a case against Varinder Singh Captain of same village under Section 304 (Punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of Indian Penal Code Sandeep said Gopi, who was youngest of his six siblings, had gone out. “At 12 noon on Saturday, my wife called me up, saying that Gopi was lying unconscious near a house and his pulse is not running. I soon left for the spot and later arranged a vehicle and rushed Gopi to a private hospital in Kohara,” he claimed. But the doctor declared him dead.He claimed that though his brother was hooked to drugs, he had quit addiction.Sandeep claimed that on Saturday morning, accused Varinder, who was also a drug addict and had come out of a de-addiction centre a few days ago, had called up his brother from their home. He alleged that at 9 am, the accused was seen at a village chowk with his brother.Sandeep alleged that later he came to know that at around 11am, the accused had taken his brother towards the fields near their house. He added that he was sure that the accused had given his brother drugs that caused his death.Cops from Koom Kalan police station have started a probe into the matter. The police have shifted the body to the civil hospital for the post-mortem examination.Assistant sub-inspector Harmeet Singh, investigating officer, said the cause of death will become clear once they get the autopsy and viscera report. He added that the accused is on the run.Police officials said according to Gopi’s family members, he was hooked to drugs till four months back and had quit drugs since then.

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