Kashmir country’s top drug-affected region, ahead of Punjab: Expert

Kashmir Valley, famously known as paradise on Earth is slowly becoming a drug hub in northern India. Thousands of syringes are being used to inject heroin in the Valley by drug abusers on a daily basis, say experts. 

“With 2.5 percent of the population using drugs, the Valley has emerged as the country’s top-drug-affected region, ahead of Punjab, where 1.2 percent of the population is reportedly addicted to drug abuse,” said former head of GMC, Srinagar’s Psychiatry Department, Prof Mushtaq A Margoob. He added, “In 2.5 percent of the population, 90 percent are heroin addicts. The figure is quite alarming and most of them were using injections. On an average, ₹88,000 is spent by a drug abuser in the Valley yearly, increasing Kashmir’s crime rate manifold.” 

6 lakh J&K residents affected 

In November 2022, the state-level Narcotic Coordination Committee meeting was chaired by the Chief Secretary Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, and it was revealed during the meeting that around 6 lakh Jammu and Kashmir residents were affected by drug-related issues. 

J&K Police, along with other security agencies, have also busted many narco-terror modules in the recent past. They believe that terrorism in Kashmir is now being financed by the narcotics trade. On March 16, in the general area of village Churanda Uri near LoC, the joint efforts of Baramulla Police and Army Dagger Division led to the recovery of approximately 1 Kilogram of narcotics worth crores of rupees. 

On April 6, two cross-border drug smugglers were arrested in Srinagar and over 11 kgs of heroin worth ₹ 70 crore recovered from their possession. “Two cross-border Narco smugglers namely Sajjad Badana & Zaheer Tanch of Karnah Kupwara arrested by Srinagar Police. 11.089 kgs of heroin (worth ₹ 70 crore in international market) & 11,82,500 in cash seized," Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, said then. 

Drive against drug smugglers 

The police have launched a massive drive against the drug smugglers in J&K, especially in the villages close to the LoC in Uri and Tanghdar sectors. On Feb 12, 1.17 kg of contraband of ₹25.39 lakh was recovered in the Uri sector. 

“Our neighbouring country (Pakistan) is not feeling happy, seeing the peace prevailing here. Pakistan is trying hard to promote narco-terrorism by luring the youth generation towards drugs and it (Pakistan) is using the money earned out of narco-sale to fund and fuel terrorism in the Valley,” said Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Kashmir Zone, Vijay Kumar. 

The focus now is especially on the people ferrying drugs from villages close to the LoC to different parts of the valley. “We have recovered dozens of drug consignments from people living close to the LoC especially in Uri and Tanghdar,” added ADGP Kumar. “There is a big network operating and we (police) are trying to expose all those people involved in getting drugs to the valley from across the LoC and international border,” he said. 

On June 6, the Jammu and Kashmir Police in Bandipora have struck a major blow to the drug traders by seizing the illegally acquired assets of a notorious drug dealer in the district. A residential plot measuring 1 kanal 1.5 marlas, valued at a staggering Rs 44 lakh, along with two vehicles worth Rs 12 lakh, of a notorious drug peddler, Khursheed Ahmad Waza was confiscated. 

“The seizure marks a significant milestone in the fight against drug peddling in Bandipora, as it represents the first instance of the police employing the NDPS Act to tackle the issue head-on,” added ADGP Kumar.