The Police in Kathua district have busted an inter-state drug syndicate involved in smuggling narcotics from Pakistan through drones. Four people have been arrested and in yet another case five drug peddlers have been arrested and heroin from seized from their possession. As per Police, on July 29, a joint party of police and Border Security Force (BSF) near the International Border in Chhan Tanda village in the Hiranagar sector recovered nearly half a kilogram of drone-dropped opium packets and following the leads, rwo persons working on the NHAI project in the Ghagwal-Samba sector, were arrested and 411 grams of heroin were recovered. And more arrests made. As per Police, one of the arrested persons was in touch with a Pakistan-based drug smuggler and further disclosure led to the arrest of the kingpin and main financier from Tarn Taran, Punjab.
In these columns, we have been repeatedly highlighting acuteness of drug trafficking and abuse in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the fresh arrests indicate how deep the drug trade here is. Every day local newspapers report about the arrest of drug peddlers, seizure on narcotics and even in some matters seizure of properties of habitual drug dealers. While Police and other concerned agencies are busy seizing the narcotics and arresting the peddlers, the society remains a mute spectator. There is no massive campaign against drug trafficking. Those who are indulging in the cultivation of cannabis and poppy are not foreigners, they are from within the society. Hundreds of acres of land are used for cannabis and poppy cultivation. This cultivation is being done under the very nose of the society. Why the people from the areas, where such illicit crop is being grown, don’t raise their voice. Have these illicit growers become so powerful and dreadful that nobody utters a word against them.
Society has to wake up, it has to understand and appreciate the challenge that its future is face to face with as for as drug trafficking is concerned. The rot is very deep and cant be taken care of only by law enforcing agencies. General public has to become a stakeholder and join this battle. Civil society groups, NGOs, schools, Colleges, concerned citizens, religious and social leaders – all have to come forward, join heads and hands, and play their respective roles to curb this menace.
As for as Police and other concerned agencies are concerned, these too have to assess the situation afresh and try to figure out that despite their serious efforts, why this illicit trade is on the rise. These agencies have to look inwards too and try to find out whether or not there are some black sheep within who are hand in glove with drug traffickers. If so, such elements should be taken care of first. It is everybody’s battle and if we fail, we may be heading towards a disastrous future.