From 5 Sufferers A Day To 170, Kashmir Sees Sharp Enhance In Drug Abuse
Srinagar:
A 22-year-old auto driver from Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama has lastly overcome his drug habit after two years of battle. The 2 years of heroin habit shattered his life and his household.
After spending a yr at Srinagar’s drug de-addiction centre, he’s now hoping to rebuild his life.
“I used to be injecting heroin frequently. Two folks from my space satisfied me that the substance would assist me to eliminate cigarettes. Ultimately, I turned addicted and ruined my life,” says the 22-year-old.
The person mentioned he has given details about a drug cartel to the authorities and hopes they get busted so the drug drawback in Kashmir will be managed.
“They’re even luring younger children into medicine. A lot of the drug abusers steal cash from their households – they beat their dad and mom. I used to be incomes as driver and my complete earnings would go into shopping for heroin. I additionally had round 5 lakh financial savings which was spent to purchase medicine” the person says.
In keeping with the police, the cross-border drug smuggling has turn into a serious problem for the federal government. The drug is cash is getting used to fund terrorism in Kashmir, mentioned police.
Regardless of an enormous offensive towards cross border drug smuggling from, the variety of drug addicts is exhibiting a manifold enhance in Kashmir.
The primary lead of drug cash getting used to fund terrorism got here in March 2021 after Nationwide Investigation Company busted a drug syndicate in Handwara space of Kashmir. The investigation led to the arrest of a BSF officer posted close to Line of Management. The anti-terror company additionally recovered Rs 91 Lakh from Romesh Kumar, BSF sub-inspector in Samba district. The money was a part of the proceeds of drug trafficking and was meant to fund terrorists of Lashkar and Hizbul Mujahideen.
In final one yr, Jammu and Kashmir police have arrested greater than 2,700 drug peddlers and filed 1850 FIRs.
“We now see 150 to 170 sufferers day by day. That is uncommon in our centre. 5 – 6 years in the past, we used to see solely 5 sufferers day by day. Even these 5 sufferers would eat painkillers, not laborious medicine,” mentioned Dr Fazale Roub, Dependancy Psychiatrist in Authorities Psychiatry Hospital, Srinagar.
Medical doctors say that heroin is now broadly being consumed by drug addicts in Kashmir they usually favor injecting the substance as a substitute of snorting or inhaling it.
Dr Fazle Roub mentioned that the size of drug use has turn into a serious well being and social problem in Kashmir, given the straightforward availability and demand for medicine.
In keeping with the police, drug abuse is an even bigger problem for Kashmir than militancy. Some cops and safety personnel have additionally been concerned in cross-border drug smuggling.
In April this yr, three individuals, together with a CRPF jawan had been arrested by Srinagar police for allegedly working a cross-border drug smuggling racket. Police recovered over 11 kilograms of heroin and greater than 11 lakh rupees money from their possession at Rajbagh space of the capital metropolis.
Kupwara district is popping out to be hub of drug trafficking. The police have unearthed a number of drug cartels who function from border villages.
On December 23, in a serious crackdown on drug smuggling, police arrested 17 folks together with 5 policemen in Kupwara.
Equally, in February drug smuglling from Tangdhar sector was busted., 9 individuals together with 5 military jawans had been arrested for smuggling medicine from Line of Management.
Police say they’re making an attempt to make a distinction between drug addicts and drug smugglers. Whereas the addicts are being rehabilitated at Dependancy Therapy Services (ATFs) and Drug de habit Facilities, they’re going robust towards drug paddlers and cross border smuggling.
