Announcing ruthless punishment to drug smugglers in Jammu and Kashmir, Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said all movable and immovable assets of drug traders will be confiscated, bank accounts frozen, and exhaustive financial probes launched against them under the NDPS Act.
The Lieutenant Governor was addressing a massive public rally at Sports Stadium Kathua, where he launched a people’s movement against narcotics under the Drug Free Jammu Kashmir campaign.
Warning drug syndicates of an impending crackdown, the Lieutenant Governor stated that a groundbreaking Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) recently notified, will ruthlessly crush smugglers by revoking their passports, driving licenses, Aadhaar cards, and arms licenses.
“We will crack down hard on traffickers and criminals, but those trapped need empathy and mercy. If a youth strays, we help him recover,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor directed the police officials to prepare ‘Top Drug Peddlers’ lists at all Police Stations and take decisive action to dismantle drug networks within 30 days.
He asked the police authorities to adopt a focused and time-bound approach for complete elimination of drug syndicates.
“A drug-free Jammu Kashmir will emerge not from one person, but from collective action. Society must realize that drugs don’t just kill individuals-they erode entire villages’, wards’ and cities’ honour and destiny.
Let’s build a J&K where our youth’s energy illuminates the world, not destroys itself. Let us confront this challenge with unyielding resolve,” Sinha said.
The Lieutenant Governor led a Padyatra from the Sports Stadium to Government Degree College, Kathua, joined by thousands of citizens, public representatives, senior officials, civil society members, social activists, NGOs, women, students and various stakeholders, all united under a shared resolve to make Jammu Kashmir Nasha Mukt.
The Lieutenant Governor called upon every citizen, every Kathua family, to rise and unite against drug abuse.
“We have crafted a well-planned 100-day roadmap- six phased steps fuelling systematic resolve. Month one ignites awareness and mobilization; month two deepens community/family penetration; month three cements sustainability.
Next three months won’t just run a campaign but they will sow seeds for lasting change in J&K. The campaign’s cornerstone is compassionate rehabilitation. We must shift our mindset: addicts are patients and they need our help and support,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
The Lieutenant Governor stressed the need for more effective, accessible, humane rehabilitation centers where lives are reclaimed.
The Lieutenant Governor called upon women’s self-help groups to form a Women Vigilance Squad for monitoring the drug abuse cases and informing senior officials about the activities in their areas.