Is J&K the next big drug capital?

Contraband worth Rs 500 Cr seized in 2017; massive social effort needed

JAMMU: While success of Operation All Out wherein the security forces killed over 200 terrorists in Valley this year has certainly broken the back of violent militancy, the other forms of terrorism-in particular the contrabands being pumped in the state, have brought another graver problem to battle for the Jammu and Kashmir Police which has seized drugs no lesser than Rs 500 Crore worth in 2017.
The astonishing figures for the first eleven months of this year- the contraband worth Rs Five Hundred Crore in international market have only made the worst fear of state come true, which is on its way to become the next big drug capital.
The same was admitted by the Director General of Police S P Vaid, who on Saturday said stressed that Jammu and Kashmir is facing narco-terrorism, and also revealed the aforementioned figures.
Underlining the obvious that drugs-menace is a serious issue for the State, the DGP emphasized on collective social efforts from all its sections, including the judiciary to root out the menace.
The State Police Chief also revealed that of the Rs 500 crore worth drugs seized in different regions this year so far, close to four-fifths of drugs are being smuggled into the state from across the Line of Control (LoC), adding that his men are taking the battle strongly against the alarming rise in the issue.
"We are faced with narco-terrorism. There are some elements who do not want our future generations to be physically and mentally healthy. They want to destroy the lives of our youth and make them their slaves," Vaid told reporters at a police de-addiction centre.
Giving account of Police's drive against drugs peddlers this year, Vaid said, "It is a very serious issue. This year we had record seizure of drugs worth Rs 500 crore in the international market."
"In Kashmir, we seized 70 kg of pure quality heroin, while over 25 kg of the contraband was seized from Jammu," he added.
He also claimed that only 20 to 25 per cent of the drugs being smuggled into the state are from Punjab, while the rest- 75 to 80 per cent- are being pumped from across the Line of Control (LoC) and the international border.
"I feel some agencies with ill-intentions towards Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, are involved in it. They are doing it (drug trafficking) to fund terrorism. They want our future generations to be addicted to drugs so that they can succeed in their nefarious designs," he said.
Exhorting that a massive social effort was needed to wipe out the menace from the state, the DGP appealed to different sections of society to cooperate in 'this bigger mission.'
"The police, as part of its efforts, is doing its best to fight the menace. I believe it is a small effort and more needs to be done. We need the support of families and the civil society," he said.
Demanding stern punishment for drug peddlers, Vaid said judges should ignore minor technical shortcomings in investigations.
"Whenever a drug peddler is taken to the court, he shall be awarded the sentence despite technical or any other minor flaws in police case provided the judge himself is convinced that the accused before him is a drug peddler," said Vaid.
The DGP also urged lawyers not to defend peddlers, if they were "convinced from the heart" that the person was involved in the crime.
"I am giving this example because if you do not cooperate, we cannot root out this menace. We have to remain cautious. Let us come together to fight this out," he said, calling for coordinated efforts.
Stating the efforts being made in this regard, the DGP said that the government has provided land to the police near Eidgah in Srinagar for a full-fledged drug de- addiction centre.
"I had requested the government to provide land here as well. We also plan to send a proposal to the Ministry of Home Affairs for a full-fledged drug de-addiction centre here," Vaid said.
He said the government was mulling to set up 10-bedded de-addiction centre in every district of Jammu and Kashmir.
The DGP also said that incidents of stone-pelting during anti-terrorist operations have reduced in Kashmir and security forces were not facing "much trouble now".