People asked me to arrest their kids: L-G Sinha on JK drug crisis
That desperation, he told The Indian Express, is one of the reasons that pushed him to launch an aggressive, month-long campaign against drug addiction and “narco-terror” in the Union Territory. The results have been instantaneous: Over 1,400 people have been arrested under the NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) Act in J&K so far this year — more than 800 of them in the past month alone.“We are making every effort possible to counter this threat. I’ve had people come to my office asking to arrest their kids because they could not handle this on their own. Generally, too, when people come to meet me, they raise this issue, and I realised that it needed greater intervention.” Sinha said that the administration is making “every effort” to contain the issue at the supply chain level, seizing narcotics that are in the system and handing out strict punishment to those involved. “A key aspect of this is awareness and rehabilitation, which I feel is our biggest challenge at the moment. We are working on all of this simultaneously,” Sinha said. After consultation with several stakeholders, strategies have been developed to effectively monitor rehabilitation centres, he said. “We have asked for at least one bed to be reserved in every health facility in the UT, irrespective of size, for victims of addiction, so that even if a patient can’t immediately find a rehabilitation centre, they can at least go to the nearest hospital and no one is turned away,” he said. According to Sinha, the ongoing 100-day campaign has also helped reduce some of the stigma associated with reporting a victim. “Calls to the MANAS helpline for J&K have increased six-fold over the past month, and people are coming forward to report anyone peddling or consuming drugs in their ambit. The societal impact has been immensely positive,” he said. Sinha said there is a “direct link between the inflow of drugs and terrorism”. “The money ultimately travels back to these (terrorist) organisations. I’ve travelled to areas from which drugs are being sent into J&K, and we have enhanced security at these entry points with men and equipment,” he said.Story continues below this ad The administration has tracked forward areas on the Line of Control, such as Tangdhar, Keran, Gurez and Kathua, as entry points for the distribution of drugs in J&K. Sinha added it was “expedient and necessary” to lay down a Standard Operating Procedure for law enforcement agencies and administrative authorities to ensure “systematic and expeditious cancellation, impoundment, suspension and deactivation of passport, driving license, arms licence and Aadhaar card of persons accused of drug-related offences…” Another aspect of deterrence by the security apparatus has been the demolition of properties linked to the distribution of narcotics. As per official data, 41 such properties have been demolished this year, drawing criticism from both the ruling National Conference and the opposition PDP, who say that families are being punished for the crimes of individuals. “If these homes or properties have been constructed by way of smuggling, how is that okay? If someone is working to ruin society, what sympathy is expected for them? I have spoken to people about this and asked them if anyone innocent has been targeted, and (they say) that has not happened. People are in favour of action against those distributing narcotics,” the LG said.
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