Srinagar: Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Srinagar, Rakesh Bhalwal Thursday said drug addiction among youngsters, especially school and college-going students, is on the rise in Srinagar.
The district police chief said that police alone cannot handle the situation until and unless the entire society, particularly the parents, wake up to the issue.
The SSP also said that the fight against substance abuse will continue, and those caught selling drugs won’t be able to hide. Drug peddlers, who he said are poisoning the youngsters, will be dealt with iron fist.
Bhalwal said a total of 208 cases were registered in Srinagar in 2022 while 30 drug-peddlers were booked under Public Safety Act (PSA) and 22 under PIT NDPS Act. He also said 39 cases were registered from January 2023 till date in Srinagar, with 68 arrests.
He also informed that 414.57 grams of heroin, 14.159 kg cannabis, 72.79 kg fukki, 77.34 kg poppy-straw or bung, 5,774 bottles of psychotropic syrup and 99,382 tablets and capsules were recovered from those arrested in 2022.
He said 740.33 grams of heroin, 3.36 grams cannabis, 49 bottles of psychotropic syrup and 6,223 tablets and capsules were recovered in Srinagar from January 2023 till date.
“Parents have to break their silence if they really want their children to be saved from an embarrassing death,” he said, adding that even the school and college-going students consume drugs in Srinagar.
“They begin with cigarettes and end up on heroin. Situation is alarming here,” he said.
Bhalwal said parents hesitate to admit their children having fallen prey to substance abuse at drug de-addiction centers while police hesitates bringing such youth to police stations for counseling, fearing if they die of craving for drugs or epilepsy, parents will blame police for custodial killing.
“We cannot do everything on our own, we have some limitations, some boundaries which we cannot cross. Even though we deal very harshly with the drug-peddlers, we cannot be harsh with victims of drug abuse,” he added.
