As drugs kill man, panchayat comes out against ‘peddlers’

Ludhiana: A day after a man died of drug overdose at Chaunta village, considered a hotspot for drugs, Dholanwal panchayat has decided to pursue the case in support of the victim’s poor family to ensure that the miscreants who had allegedly provided drugs to the man don’t get away.
According to the panchayat, the victim’s family is too poor to even arrange a vehicle to reach courts.

Panchayat members said in the past too, many families due to financial constraints had failed to pursue cases due to which the accused had easily got bails. However, this time the village panchayat would ensure that the case is proceeded properly and the victim gets justice.
On Sunday early morning, Beesa Singh of Dholanwal was found dead under mysterious circumstances with a syringe stuck in his arms outside a government school in Chaunta. The kin of the deceased had named drug peddlers of Chaunta, who had allegedly provided him drugs, leading to his death. Later in the evening, Koom Kalan police had arrested four persons — Mukhtiar Singh, Surjit Singh and Harjot Singh of Chaunta village and Sonu of Salempur village — for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Beesa, who was a labourer, had been missing since Saturday night. His family had searched for him, but failed. Some morning walkers in Chaunta had noticed the body and informed the police.
Nirmal Singh, a panchayat member from Dholanwal, said, “A few years back, our neighbouring village Chaunta was the main hot spot of drug peddling. Now, their nexus has expanded in the surrounding villages, including Dholanwal, Salempur, Boothgarh and Gujjarwal. The peddlers have hired people from different villages to supply drugs. Some members of these groups stand at the entry points of the villages to alert others when police visit the areas.”
He said, “Mand-Chaunta forest has become a safe haven for drug smugglers. Most of the drug delivery these days is being done in the forest area. It requires a lot of planning and efforts to nab them and curb drug menace in these villages.”
Dholanwal’s sarpanch Baldev Ram said, “Following the death of Beesa Singh, the panchayat has decided to proactively pursue the case against the arrested accused. The panchayat members would take the family to court hearings and all possible help will be done, so that the accused get punished. Most of the families are so poor that they cannot even arrange a vehicle to go to courts.”
Chaunta sarpanch Boota Singh said, “Our village has fought for many years to end the drug menace, but failed. The accused are arrested, but they come out on bail within a few days and then they start threatening us. At least, 20 houses at Chaunta are into drug peddling, including female members of their families. They have created such a strong nexus that it is not easy to nab them with drugs. Our villagers and members of kisan union here had staged a protest for at least three months, seeking a complete ban on drugs and action against all drug peddlers. That time, MLA Hardeep Singh Mundia had given assurance that drugs would not enter this area, but nothing happened.”
“In fact, members of these families who are into drug peddling have died due to drugs, but that does not stop them from staying away from drugs. We have lost all hopes now,” he said.
Nirmal Singh said, “On Sunday, police officials had visited Chaunta, and villagers had told them about houses where drug peddlers live. Those involved in drug peddling now own properties and assets. And we want the authorities to seize their properties and assets.”