Uttarakhand police plea for info on drug peddlers evokes doubts about fight against menace

The Uttarakhand police’s appeal to people for information about illicit drug trafficking has evoked scepticism, with many complaining of lack of tough action against the menace.

As part of a strategy to tackle drug abuse and its illicit trafficking, the police on their Facebook page have urged people of the state to provide them information about peddlers of contraband, so that the traffickers could be arrested.

The post of the police reads ‘nasha bechne walon ki suchna do, karyawahi hum karenge’ (Inform us about drug sellers, and we will take action). The police have also sought details about drug peddlers on Facebook Messenger, with a promise to keep informers’ details confidential.

Responding to the post, many social media users raised suspicions on the measures to curb drug menace -- some even accused the police of conniving with the peddlers “for a cut”.

“Aapke police ko bhi pata hai ki nashe ka karobar kaun karta hai (your police also know who all are involved in selling drugs),” wrote a respondent, Vansh Ranaboti.

Another respondent, Bhaskar Dwivedi, commended the initiative, but questioned the police action against its own personnel allegedly involved in the illicit trade.

“Pahal bahut sarahniya hai humarre paas hai aise kai mamle, kaise saajha kare. Aur nashe me shamil police ke logon par kya karyawahi hogi,” wrote Dwivedi.

Expressing fears about revealing informers’ details to the accused, Hitendra Bhatnagar wrote, “Sir hum apko koi agar suchna de aur wah khabar leak ho jaye to apradhi to humare saath bhi jabardast durghatna kar sakta hai.”

Some respondents accused the police of inaction on the menace “despite having all the resources like police network, intelligence units and others.”

Supporting the views expressed on social media, a resident of Dehradun’s Bindal Pull area narrated his experience on condition of anonymity. “A female drug peddler used to sell drugs in the area without any, as the local police never took action against her due to obvious reasons. They knew her whereabouts. When the menace grew, she was finally arrested after we informed the city superintendent of police,” he said.

Seeking to dispel people’s doubts, additional general of police, law & order, Ashok Kumar said, “Action will be taken against anyone found involved in this crime (drug peddling). We assure informers that their details will not be revealed and they will be safe. We want the co-operation of the people to curb this menace.”

The police have announced to create a three-tier task force – at the police station, district and state levels -- to bolster its fight against drug abuse and illicit trafficking.

Police said students were mostly in the grip of the growing drug menace in the state. According to police data, from January 1 to May 31 this year, 572 cases have been registered under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and 589 accused arrested for allegedly possessing contraband.

Dehradun district witnessed the most number of drug cases in the state -- 305 cases and 310 arrests -- followed by Udham Singh (US) Nagar with 102 cases and 105 arrests, and Haridwar with 52 cases and 53 arrests.

This year 325 kg cannabis (ganja), 266 kg opium, 95 kg charas, 2.5 kg smack, 6,700 contraband drug pills and 1,383 drug injections were seized, police data shows.