Jammu and Kashmir police have seized large consignments of drugs and intoxicants in different parts of the valley in 2016
Behind the breathtaking view of the paradise lies the dark underbelly of drugs and addicts.
Poppy, charas, brown sugar, bhang, fukki, intoxicants — name any contraband drug and you will find it in the strife-torn valley.
DNA has accessed figures by Jammu and Kashmir police, which have revealed the shocking underbelly of contraband drugs in the restive Kashmir valley.
Official figures revealed that the police have seized huge consignments of drugs and intoxicants in different parts of the valley in 2016, including 64 kilogram of charas, 7.5 kilogram of charas powder, 194 kilogram of bhang and bhang dust, 925 kilogram of fukki, 915 kilogram of poppy straw and 3.75 kilogram of brown sugar.
As if that weren't a big enough haul, police also seized 26,457 intoxicating capsules, 10,553 intoxicating tablets and 12,983 bottles of intoxicating syrup in 2016. Despite unrest, police and other security agencies destroyed bhang and poppy crop spread over 2,800 kanals (20 kanals form one hectare) of land in Kashmir in 2016.
Around 312 persons were arrested in 2016 of whom 202 were prosecuted and 26 others were booked under Public Safety Act (PSA).
Similarly in 2015, police and other security agencies had destroyed contraband drug crops on over 5,034 kanals of land. Police had registered 375 cases and arrested 442 people and 13 others were booked under PSA.
Police destroyed contraband drugs including poppy and bhang on 593 kanals of land in 2014. They also registered 224 cases of which 196 were challaned in 2014. Around 151 people were arrested and one person was booked under PSA.
"The situation is very bad as drugs have spread in Kashmir. We will not allow it to become Udta Punjab. We will eradicate the drug menace from Kashmir", Dr SP Vaid, Director General of Police, Jammu and Kashmir told DNA.
Turmoil, militancy and post militancy situation has proved to be the perfect breeding ground for the new age drug addicts in Kashmir. Official figures reveal that more than 20,000 youth have been treated in three drug de-addiction centers run by police since 2008.
"Jammu and Kashmir police has opened drug de-addiction centers in Srinagar, Baramulla and Anantnag in which over 20,000 affected persons have been treated till now. The department is working towards enhancing the bed capacity of the Srinagar Centre", said GH Bhat, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Central Kashmir Range.
Jammu and Kashmir police has adopted a two-pronged strategy to deal with the problem of drugs in Kashmir. On one side, the police has decided to launch an all-out drive against the drug peddlers and on the other it has started a massive awareness programme using popular forms of theatre as a medium to reach out to the masses. "I appeal to all stakeholders to contribute as police alone cannot fight this menace", said Dr Vaid.
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