Jammu: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday continued his campaign for a drug-free Jammu and Kashmir by leading a padyatra in Rajouri.
Highlighting a recent action, Sinha said that more than 45 FIRs were registered and 63 smugglers were arrested during the first five days of the 100-day ‘Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir Abhiyaan’, launched on April 11.
He added that extensive seizures were made and regular checks are being conducted in schools, pharmacies and drug agencies across the region.
Calling Rajouri a sensitive border district prone to cross-border smuggling, he said the government is committed to crushing such challenges.
The Lieutenant Governor emphasised that the fight against drugs is not limited to borders but is also a battle within society.
“Addiction is not merely a personal failing but a deep wound in our social fabric. Our hostile neighbour uses drug trafficking as a tool to fuel terror and weaken the nation from within,” he said.
He noted a sharp rise in enforcement, stating that cases registered after April 11 have seen a threefold increase over the past week.
“In 100 days, we must break the backbone of drug networks. When society and administration unite, no criminal will be spared,” he added.
Stressing prevention, Sinha said awareness campaigns must reach children and youth before drugs do. He also underscored the need for a comprehensive rehabilitation system, including counselling, detoxification, rehabilitation and aftercare.
“We will restore dignity, reconnect affected individuals with society and help them contribute to a brighter future. Officials must regularly audit progress, including rehabilitation outcomes and arrests, while ensuring that fake de-addiction centres are shut down,” he said.
He also called upon social organisations and NGOs to actively participate in the campaign.
On the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor administered an anti-drug pledge and launched the Rajouri Premier League and Rajouri Football Club as part of the ongoing ‘Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir Abhiyaan’.
He also inaugurated the Dr Raj Kumar Thapa memorial museum and library, dedicated to the legacy of the additional district development commissioner, in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district.
Thapa lost his life on May 10 last year when a Pakistani artillery shell hit his residential quarters in the border district during unprovoked shelling linked to Operation Sindoor. He is survived by his wife, a doctor, and their two children.
Paying tributes, the lieutenant governor recalled Thapa’s selfless service and unwavering commitment to public welfare, saying the memorial would serve as a source of inspiration for generations to come, an official spokesperson said.
A documentary highlighting Thapa’s life and service was also screened on the occasion, he said.
Family members of Thapa, along with senior officials of the security forces, police and civil administration, were present at the event.
A 2001-batch Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) officer, Thapa (54) was widely respected for his professional dedication and people-friendly approach.
He had been posted as ADDC Rajouri in March last year and played a key role in handling the situation in the Badhaal village, where 17 members of three families, including 13 children, died under mysterious circumstances after falling ill between December 7 and January 19.
Prior to his posting in Rajouri, he served as the officer on special Duty to former deputy chief minister Tara Chand from 2009 to 2014.
He also held key positions, including the mission director of the Jammu and Kashmir Skill Development Mission and special secretary in the Labour and Employment Department.
