SRINAGAR: Time’s up for drug smugglers in Jammu and Kashmir.
Police have taken the fight against drugs to a new level by publicly naming and shaming the smugglers, peddlers, and mafia dons.
Leading the fight is the South Kashmir range, which has set up `Rogue Galleries’ featuring photographs of known drug peddlers to enhance public awareness. Photographs of drug peddlers have been uploaded into Face Recognition Cameras for improved surveillance and tracking in Awanipora.
“The initiative aims to ensure transparency and encourage community participation in curbing drug-related activities. The measures are expected to act as a strong deterrent against individuals involved in the narcotics trade,” said a police spokesman.
Likewise, on the directions of SSP Kulgam Anayat Ali Chowdhary, `Rogue Galleries’ have been set up within police station premises displaying photographs of identified drug peddlers across the district.
“Citizens are strictly advised not to contact, shelter, or engage in any transactions with the individuals whose photographs are displayed, and if you see these persons or have information about their activities, inform the police immediately. Do not take the law into your own hands. Moreover, people are urged that any person found associating with or aiding these drug peddlers will face legal action under the NDPS Act. The main objectives of displaying the visuals are to alert the public to stay away from these offenders and to seek community support to apprehend them so that the drug supply chain in the district will be completely broken,” police said.
The `Rogue Galleries’ is a new addition to the fight against drugs in Kashmir. These pictures are also uploaded on a hi-tech police surveillance system so that the peddlers are unable to flee or find safe houses. “Peddlers are on the run. Our offensive mechanism backed by technology is yielding fruit. We are confident that we will break the back of the drug syndicates in Kashmir,’ said an officer.
Under the new system, the government is planning to cancel passports, Aadhaar cards, and driving licences of drug smugglers.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Anantnag, Amod Ashok Nagpure, has issued directions that individuals involved in drug-related activities will not be granted security clearance for passports or employment. or any other government-related services.
The directive mandates that involvement in narcotics cases must be explicitly recorded in official verification reports to ensure stringent scrutiny at every stage of the clearance process.
Since security forces have crushed terror, the drug mafia is now trying to spoil our young generation. Like Punjab, the terror sponsors are now targeting youth to avenge their defeat. Data presented in the Legislative Assembly reveal that over 70,000 people, mostly youth, are involved in substance abuse in Kashmir. Of them, 50,000 are heroin users.
Sensing the mounting crisis, the government launched a 100-day Nasha Mukt Jammu and Kashmir campaign on April 11. Under the new system, the government is planning to cancel passports, Aadhaar cards, and driving licences of drug smugglers. This is in addition to property seizures of drug smugglers.
“I assure citizens that we will strike hard against drug networks. Yet this fight cannot be won by law alone; it must be won within society, through awareness, cooperation, and collective effort. We are building a Jammu and Kashmir where drugs have no place,” said Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.