Facing heat, top cop says serious about drug mission

Ludhiana: Following the death of a 28-year-old man due to suspected drug overdose with villagers blaming police inaction against drug peddlers in Bhagat Singh Nagar village for the tragedy, Ludhiana police commissioner Sukhchain Singh Gill on Thursday said strict action would be taken against police officials who are found lacking against their assigned duties in the mission against drugs.
Claiming that as many as 108 persons had been arrested in 82 NDPS cases in Ludhiana in July, Gill in a release issued here gave details of the seizures of narcotics and other recoveries of the month.
He said besides other substances, police seized 1.49 kg heroin, 1.15 kg opium, 92.3 kg poppy husk, 15 kg ganja and 1.7 kg narcotic powder in July.
Gill also claimed that as many as 153 youths who were addicted to drugs have been motivated through community engagement and local support to quit drugs and have been admitted to rehabilitation centres.
The police also claimed to have identified ‘hot spots’, which are vulnerable to drugs, under 28 police stations in the city. “All the police officials have been directed to take strong action against drugs and drug peddlers and to encourage and rehabilitate addicted youths,” Gill said.
Notably, soon after the death of a 28-year-old man in Bhagat Singh Nagar early this week, residents had alleged that despite their complaints, the police had not arrested the drug peddlers in their area. They had also alleged that locals had handed over some peddlers to cops, but they were released soon.