Barnala, Punjab– In a brazen nighttime heist, thieves targeted an essential health facility in Punjab’s Barnala district, stealing thousands of de-addiction tablets and leaving hundreds of patients without their critical medication. The incident at the Aam Aadmi Clinic in Hamidi village has sparked outrage among locals and raised serious concerns about the security of public health centers.
The theft occurred late last night at the Outpatient Department (OPD) center of the Aam Aadmi Clinic, a key facility providing free healthcare under the Punjab government’s flagship initiative. According to Gurpreet Singh, the center’s in-charge, the intruders scaled the clinic’s perimeter wall under the cover of darkness. Once inside, they methodically removed a window-mounted air conditioning unit to breach the OPD room, focusing solely on the stockpile of Neurofen tablets— a medication widely prescribed for drug addiction recovery.
In total, the thieves made off with 12,631 tablets, valued at several lakhs of rupees. To evade detection, they also tampered with the CCTV cameras installed on the premises. “They knew exactly what they were after,” Singh told reporters. “It was a targeted operation, and now our patients are paying the price.”
The clinic, which serves 100 to 150 individuals daily—many of them seasonal laborers battling addiction—has been forced to halt all de-addiction treatments. A stark poster reading “No Medicines Available Here” now greets visitors at the entrance, a grim reminder of the disruption.
Balwinder Singh, Station House Officer (SHO) at Thulliwala, assured the public that investigators are on the case. “We have formed a team to probe the incident, including reviewing any remaining CCTV footage from surrounding areas,” he said. “The motive appears to be resale on the black market, given the specific nature of the stolen items. We expect leads soon.”
This robbery highlights growing vulnerabilities in rural healthcare infrastructure. Aam Aadmi Clinics, launched in 2019 to deliver accessible primary care, have become lifelines for underserved communities in Punjab—a state grappling with one of India’s highest rates of substance abuse. Critics argue that inadequate security measures, such as basic perimeter fencing and outdated surveillance, leave these facilities exposed.
The Punjab Health Department has yet to announce a timeline for replenishing the stolen stock, but officials indicated emergency supplies could arrive within days. In the interim, patients have been directed to nearby facilities, though travel burdens many who lack reliable transport.
