Srinagar's Drug Battle: 894 arrested in 534 cases in last 5 years

Srinagar, Apr 20: As the menace of drug addiction continues to surge, police have intensified their crackdown against those involved in the smuggling and illicit drug trade in the summer capital.

Official figures reveal that Srinagar Police has arrested a staggering 894 persons in 535 cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act since 2019.

The data shared by Srinagar Police paints a grim picture of the drug smuggling challenge the authorities face. In January 2024 alone, 12 cases were registered against drug peddlers, leading to the arrest of 16 individuals. The previous year, 2023, witnessed 107 cases being filed, resulting in the apprehension of 186 persons connected to the smuggling and illicit narcotics trade.

However, 2022 emerged as the year with the highest number of cases and arrests. A total of 169 cases were registered, and a staggering 287 persons were taken into custody by the police – the highest figure since 2019.

The crackdown has been consistent over the years, with 74 cases registered in 2021 leading to 120 arrests, while 2020 saw 92 cases and 159 arrests. In 2019, 81 cases were lodged, and 126 individuals were apprehended.

This information has been disclosed by the Police in an RTI reply to MM Shuja.

The alarming rise in drug smuggling cases has prompted Srinagar Police to adopt a zero-tolerance approach, vowing to leave no stone unturned in their efforts to dismantle the narcotics supply chain and bring perpetrators to justice.

As the fight against drug abuse intensifies, authorities are calling upon the public to cooperate and report any suspicious activities related to drug peddling to assist in curbing this menace that has gripped.

Last month, the Director General of Police R.R. Swain stated that the approach to combating the drug trade in Jammu and Kashmir is mirroring the strategy employed to dismantle the terror networks operating in the Union Territory.

As part of this policy to tackle the narcotics menace, those grappling with drug addiction are viewed as "victims" rather than perpetrators, Swain explained. The focus is on providing support and rehabilitation to addicts while cracking down on the criminal elements involved in the illicit drug supply chain.

The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is battling a harrowing drug addiction epidemic that has enveloped lakhs of lives, recent government data reveals. As per statistics cited in Parliament last year, a staggering 14.09 lakh individuals aged between 10 and 75 are estimated to be using psychoactive substances across the region.

This alarming figure, disclosed by the Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, is based on the 2018 national survey conducted by the Ministry on substance abuse patterns in India. The crisis cuts across substances, with opioid abusers constituting the largest segment at approximately 5.4 lakh people, followed by 4.2 lakh addicted to alcohol, 1.4 lakh consuming cannabis, and 1.35 lakh inhaling substances.

Notably, opium and its derivatives have emerged as the dominant substances, accounting for over 90 percent of the abuse cases – marking a significant shift in the drug landscape of the region. This trend was further corroborated by a study conducted by researchers from the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (IMHANS), Kashmir, which examined the changing patterns among opioid users seeking treatment.