Hundreds join LG Manoj Sinha in Srinagar ‘padyatra’ against drug menace

In a powerful show of public resolve against growing drug menace, hundreds of citizens from across the Kashmir Valley poured into the streets of Srinagar on Sunday, joining Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in a massive ‘padyatra’ (foot march) that turned into a rallying cry for a drug-free future.

Flagging off the march from the Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) football ground, the Lieutenant Governor took the anti-narcotics campaign beyond official corridors and straight to the people, signalling a more aggressive and participatory phase of the fight against substance abuse.

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The initiative forms a key part of the 100-day ‘Nasha Mukt Jammu and Kashmir Abhiyan’, aimed at mobilising public support while tightening the noose around drug peddlers and dismantling the narco-terror network operating in the Union Territory.
The LG himself led the foot march for 2 kilometres.

Addressing the participants, he urged the people to commit themselves wholeheartedly to the fight against substance abuse. “In the war against drug abuse and narco-terrorism, every step matters. Every effort counts. Every contribution brings victory closer. Together, let us envision a Jammu Kashmir where no child is lost to drugs, no family is broken by addiction, no community suffers under traffickers, and every citizen thrives in health and strength,” Sinha said.

“This is the vision we pursue, the dream we must fulfil, and the legacy we owe future generations. It is about Jammu Kashmir’s destiny, the society we aspire to build, the values we uphold, and the lives we safeguard. Today, let us pledge that we will not rest until Jammu Kashmir is completely drug-free,” he added.
“Active participation of the people is an unshakable force capable of defeating the enemies’ assault through narco-terrorism. Drug traffickers and their networks have targeted our youth”.

The Lieutenant Governor said our neighbouring country, known as the world’s foremost incubator of terrorism is pushing drugs to harm our youth and sponsor terrorism. He said drug money fuels terrorism and radicalization. He also said that this mission advances on three fronts- dismantling supply chains, spreading awareness at the grassroots, and rehabilitating addicts with dignity and care.

“Under a new SoP, we are taking stringent action. Between April 11 and May 2, the Jammu and Kashmir divisions together recorded 481 FIRs in just 21 days. During this period, 518 drug smugglers and peddlers were sent to jail, while 24 houses, which were proceeds of crime, were demolished and property worth crores was seized. Kashmir alone accounted for 26 of these attachments. In addition, authorities have recommended the cancellation of more than 300 driving licences.

Across the region, cancellation of 325 vehicle registrations has been recommended. Nearly 3,000 drug stores were inspected, leading to 107 license suspensions and one FIR. These figures highlight how police and civil administration, backed by public cooperation, are enforcing a strict “Zero Tolerance to Drugs” policy aimed at dismantling the supply chain completely,” the Lieutenant Governor said.