Haryana seems to be dealing with a big drug problem.
The issue of drug problems in Haryana has been raised in the recent past with Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda claiming in September that almost 13 districts in Haryana have a severe drug problem.
The former chief minister cited a Narcotics Control Bureau report that said “In Sirsa alone, 65 people have died due to overdose in two years. Dozens of people have died due to poisonous liquor” as per a Hindustan Times report.
He also claimed that government statistics show that “over 400 persons lost their lives due to drug overdose during the BJP rule.”
Haryana’s Drug Problem
A July 2024 report by The Indian Express revealed that from January 1st to July 10th the state police had seized almost “2.7 kg of heroin, 3,209 kg of ganja, and 5,565.3 kg of poppy straw” along with registering 172 commercial quantities (CQ) cases and arrested 269 people.
The top cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in Haryana also showed a grim picture of an extensive and organised manner of drug trafficking with narcotic substances being brought in from different states like Nepal, Delhi, Bihar and more.
The Haryana Police also till 31st May 2024 had properties amounting to a whopping Rs. 48.34 crores from 102 drug traffickers along with demolishing 106 drug trafficking encroachments that were unauthorised.
How Is Haryana Dealing With Its Drug Problem?
Haryana it seems is dealing with the problem with an interesting concept of anti-drug vigilante groups. Reports claim that the sarpanch is aware of them and even informs the police to cooperate with these groups.
Sarpanch Preeti speaking about these groups said “We went door to door to raise awareness about the drug problem,” and that “Restrictions were imposed on the roads leading into the village.”
A report by The Print reveals that these vigilante groups would “forcibly sent drug users to Nasha Mukti Kendras (de-addiction centres). Drug peddlers were publicly shamed, with their photographs taken and circulated on WhatsApp with captions like “Wanted Drug Peddler”. After this only they were handed over to the police. Over the last two years, the group claims to have helped 48 young men overcome their addiction.”
This seems to have inspired nearby villages to have such vigilante groups as well, however, the fact that peddlers aren’t arrested for a long time means they are back to selling within a day and thus a long-term solution is still yet to be found.
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There is also a caste angle to the vigilante activities of these groups where reports claim that while drug sellers from the dominant caste are protected, however, Dalit consumers are the ones publically shamed and blamed.
According to a report by The Print, during a meeting at the sarpanch’s house with members of the Bhagat Singh Yuva group, the blame for the drug problem in Ashrafgarh lies with the “neechi jaati” (lower caste).
A committee member and the sarpanch’s wife also reportedly said that “Till the time these lower caste people are in the village, the drug problem won’t go away.”
2023 formed Bhagat Singh Yuva group while having taken many actions to control the drug problem in the area of Ashrafgarh such as installing CCTV cameras, organising night patrols, creating fines and punishments for those found to be consuming drugs also focused on the Scheduled Caste Sansi community during the panchayat meetings.
The group reportedly threatened families that they would be expelled from the village if even a single member was found to be involved in this problem.
Om Prakash Beniwal, a group member also said “Earlier, it was limited to ganja,” adding “But these people from the lower caste got heroin into the village. We upper-caste people don’t engage in such activities.”
Activist Rahul Kumar also spoke on this saying “The upper caste men with huge land holdings who want to make easy money sell drugs and have the support of the entire village.”
Kumar who works at de-addiction centers also added “Meanwhile, those from the lower castes, who are mostly labourers and lack employment opportunities, end up consuming these drugs. They are maligned by the villagers and are also shamed publicly.”
In December of 2024, the Haryana State Narcotics Control Bureau declared around 3,114 villages to be drug-free. Other government records also claimed that 42 percent of Haryana’s 7,536 villages and 695 municipal urban wards have become drug-free in the past year.
Haryana has also been hosting anti-drug awareness initiatives that are rooted in the culture and relatable and moving away from a fear-based manner of messaging toward interactive and participatory campaigns while also empowering the people.
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: The Indian Express, The Print, Hindustan Times
Find the blogger: @chirali_08
This post is tagged under: Haryana, Haryana news, Haryana drugs, Haryana drug problem, Haryana drug problem solution, Haryana drug vigilante, Haryana drug news, Haryana drug control department
Disclaimer: We do not hold any right, or copyright over any of the images used, these have been taken from Google. In case of credits or removal, the owner may kindly mail us.
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