Mohali, Feb. 10 -- An attempt by nearly 20 inmates to flee the government-run de-addiction and rehabilitation centre in Sector 66 on Sunday afternoon has once again brought the spotlight on security gaps and the growing strain on staff at the facility, which has been functioning in Mohali since 2016.

The escape bid failed, but the incident prompted staff members to suspend work on Monday, saying their safety was at risk due to repeated attempts by inmates, many of whom had been admitted to the centre following police action under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The protest ended later in the day after police assured enhanced deployment at the centre.

Nekram Mandyal, manager of the de-addiction centre, said the...