HOPE AND HAMMER | DGP Swain offers lifeline to addicts, promises intensified crackdown on drug kingpins

Baramulla, Feb 17: Stressing that Jammu and Kashmir would adopt a two-pronged strategy for eradicating drug abuse, Director General of Police (DGP) Rashmi Ranjan Swain Saturday said that elements earning profit from drug peddling would be isolated and dealt with strictly while the victims would be treated as victims.

Interacting with media persons on the sidelines of his Public Darbar held at District Police Lines in north Kashmir's Baramulla district, he said, “My idea is that the small peddler and the one making a profit from drugs are different. We are thinking of separating those who make a profit out of drug trade and take strict action against them.”

The DGP said that it would be a challenge for the J&K Police to find where addicts and peddlers meet.

“We will deal strictly with those running the trade and approach victims as victims. We will try to work with this dual approach,” he said.

Swain said that after taking charge as DGP, he felt that the addicts also become peddlers to meet their expenses.

“I came to know this after holding discussions with my officers including ADGP, IGs, DIGs, and SSPs. This is a self-sustaining crime, and J&K Police feels that we will separate the victim from the traders,” he said.

The DGP said that the job of Police was challenging as they had to be strict with some people to provide comfort and safety to others.

“The purpose of the Police is to bring justice to the right person at the right time through legal means. Sometimes, this causes discomfort to some but is essential to protect the people,” he said.

Swain said that in situations where violence occurs in a structured manner like terrorism, the Police’s job becomes even more challenging.

“This is why a certain atmosphere developed in the last 30 years. We at J&K Police believe in a philosophy where we distinguish between the right and the wrong. We can’t equate a traffic accident with murder,” he said. “We want those who can come back to have the opportunity to do so. We want to keep the door open for them. There are things we do behind the scenes that we haven’t discussed yet, but we will talk about them at the right time.”

The DGP said that J&K Police does not want the children of Jammu and Kashmir to be involved in terrorism or narcotics.

“Our concern is that our children and youth stay away from terrorism and narcotics. With the cooperation of civil society, religious leaders, and other government departments, we want to take steps together,” he said.

However, Swain said that in the coming days, J&K Police would have a different perspective on this.

“What happens in terrorism is that the one who holds the gun is a victim for us, and the one who provides weapons, money, or supports it is more culpable. Therefore, we will make an effort in this regard and work on it to differentiate between the misguided people and the ones who are misleading our youth. We want to reward our Police officers for their efforts. We prefer prevention over cure,” he said.

About holding Public Darbars outside Srinagar and Jammu cities, the DGP said that efforts were underway to address public grievances in the headquarters of rural districts and that there was a need to increase its frequency as well.

“But sometimes delays occur. My experience tells me that people face difficulties and challenges and that is why they come with their grievances on such occasions," he said.

Swain said that during his Public Darbar, he tries to first listen to the grievances of the Police followed by hearing from the other people present.

“The Police force is like a large family. They have significant issues like SRO cases, transfer cases, health issues in families, or education-related problems for children. The experiences shared so far include concerns about ongoing investigations or past inquiries,” he said.

The DGP said that during the Public Darbar, efforts remain that all the issues presented before him get resolved on the spot.

“I hope to resolve all these issues here. I handle some cases myself which are about the Police headquarters. For matters that require further investigation, it takes some time. In cases where issues involve both the Police and other government departments, we collaborate with those departments to resolve them,” he said.

Swain said that they had established a follow-up system wherein they appointed officers to handle each case and communicate with the aggrieved parties.

“If someone has any grievances, they can discuss them with our officers. The Public Darbar is an effort to listen to issues and address them here,” he said.

The DGP said that during the Public Darbar, they learned about the nature of cases and would try to increase the frequency of the Public Darbars with the participation of more officers.

“The officers are gradually joining the Public Darbar initiative, meeting people in different places, and listening to their concerns at their level,” he said.

However, Swain said that the relationship and interaction between the Police and the people are very direct.

“People walking on the streets have a connection with the Police in their daily lives,” he said.

About the increase in drug deaddiction centres, the DGP said that the issue would be discussed with the government and that he would hold a special meeting with the Chief Secretary, and meet the Secretary of Health and Medical Education Department.

“We will make efforts to increase the facilities,” he said.