SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has asserted that the administration will escalate its campaign against drug trafficking networks, vowing to pursue every financial and asset link associated with smugglers. This statement comes in the wake of recent discussions, including remarks from senior Jammu and Kashmir Minister Sakina Itoo regarding property demolitions during the anti-drug drive.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that Lieutenant Governor Sinha, addressing gatherings during the ‘Nasha-Mukt Jammu Kashmir Campaign’ in Baramulla and a ‘padyatra’ in Kupwara, stated that the administration’s actions in the preceding month had delivered a significant blow to the drug ecosystem operating within the Union Territory. He emphasized a commitment to ensuring the harshest penalties for individuals involved in destroying the future of the region’s youth.
Aggressive Enforcement Measures
According to official figures, over 2.35 lakh awareness and outreach events have been conducted across Jammu and Kashmir in the last 31 days as part of the anti-drug campaign. The administration reported the arrest of nearly 700 drug smugglers and peddlers, with properties valued in crores, allegedly acquired through proceeds from narcotics trade, being seized. Lieutenant Governor Sinha also indicated that recommendations had been made for the cancellation of over 300 driving licenses and more than 400 vehicle registrations linked to alleged drug smugglers.
Further measures include the inspection of over 3,300 drug stores throughout Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the suspension of approximately 150 licenses for non-compliance with prescribed norms. To enhance oversight, nearly 3,000 CCTV cameras have now been installed at drug stores across the Union Territory.
Linking Drug Trafficking to Militancy
Lieutenant Governor Sinha drew a direct connection between drug trafficking and militant activities, suggesting that the proceeds from narcotics smuggling are being utilized to finance militancy in Jammu and Kashmir. He articulated this by stating that drug trafficking and terrorism are not separate issues but interconnected, with one generating funds that fuel the other. This perspective underscores a strategic approach by the administration to dismantle the financial underpinnings of both threats.
In his address, Sinha called for enhanced vigilance, particularly in border districts. He highlighted Kupwara, a frontier district, as a critical area requiring the most stringent actions against narcotics networks. He disclosed that 28 drug smugglers had already been apprehended in the Kupwara and Handwara regions. Furthermore, directives have been issued to every police station in Kupwara to identify active drug smugglers and peddlers and initiate decisive actions within the next 68 days.
Property Demolitions and Attachments
In parallel with these pronouncements, the Jammu and Kashmir Police have continued their drives to demolish and attach properties of alleged narcotics offenders in various districts. Instances reported include the demolition of an allegedly illegal cowshed constructed on State land by a known drug peddler in the Pattan area of Baramulla. In South Kashmir, authorities demolished two shops purportedly built on encroached State land by individuals accused in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) cases. In Srinagar’s Gasoo-Hazratbal area, police attached a double-storey residential house and land valued at approximately Rs 1.2 crore, with allegations that the property was acquired using illicit drug trafficking proceeds. Residential properties and land parcels belonging to alleged drug dealers in Baramulla district have also been attached.
The intensified enforcement operations come shortly after Minister Sakina Itoo voiced concerns regarding the demolition and sealing of properties during the anti-drug campaign. She had questioned the practice, particularly when properties were in the name of a father of an involved youth, and suggested that the use of bulldozers was not proving helpful.
Rehabilitation and Community Involvement
While advocating for stringent enforcement, Lieutenant Governor Sinha also underscored the importance of rehabilitation and counselling for drug addicts, advocating for a compassionate societal approach. He drew parallels with the treatment of chronic illnesses like diabetes and cancer, emphasizing that addicts should be treated and rehabilitated with dignity. To this end, the administration plans to collaborate with religious leaders, schools, colleges, and social organizations to establish community-based anti-drug initiatives in high-risk areas. The proposed ‘Family Fortress Initiative’ aims to organize weekly family dialogues on drug abuse in educational institutions and places of worship across Jammu and Kashmir.
Lieutenant Governor Sinha urged citizens to actively participate in the anti-drug campaign and assured swift action on every complaint received through counselling and helpline platforms. He expressed a collective vision of dismantling drug smuggling networks, freeing the youth from addiction, and guiding them towards progress.
The Chenab Times News Desk