Ambala (SATISH HANDA): Earlier, Punjab state was famous for smuggling and supply of drugs in North where every twentieth person was seen taking drugs, whereas now Ambala in Haryana state has become an hub for smuggling and sale of drugs in the state since past couple of years and as many as 621 cases of drugs smuggling and supply has been registered in various police stations at Ambala during the year 2019 and 2020. Drug addiction, especially among youths in Haryana state is fast increasing. The prominent drugs being smuggled and supplied in and around the state are poppy husk, opium, ganja, charas, heroine, chitta and intoxicated injections.
Information reveals, drugs business in the city started from narrow and thickly populated residential localities a few years ago, gradually spread across posh residential colonies in twin city Ambala with ample supply of drugs to educational institutes, hotels, restaurants, roadside ‘dhabas’ PG houses and rural places all over in the district where every tenth person is seen consuming drugs. According to district police record,43 cases of drug smuggling with arrest of 54 persons were registered by the district police in 2011 followed by registration of 33 cases in 2012 in which 53 persons were arrested by the police, 71 cases of drugs smuggling were registered in 2013 in which 87 persons were arrested, 31 drug smuggling cases were registered at Ambala in 2014 with arrest of 53 persons in 2014 and 47 drug smuggling cases were registered in 2015 with the arrest of 64 persons. Since after this Ambala witnessed drastic increase in smuggling and sale of drugs and police registered 77 cases under excise Act arresting 308 persons and registered 129 cases under NDPS Act arresting 187 persons during year 2019 and2020.
According to information, there are six drug de-addiction centres functioning at Ambala to treat drug addicts in the district which include Civil Hospital Ambala City having five patients under their treatment. Medical College & Hospital at Mullana have 10 patients suffering from drug addiction having treatment, Guru Kripa Foundation have 25 patients suffering from drug addiction under treatment, Shri Krishna Hospital have three patients suffering from drug addiction, The New Life Foundation at village Manour near Ambala City housing 18 dug addicts for treatment and Dashmesh Social Welfare Society housing 20 persons suffering from drug addiction. According to doctors, mental tension, unemployment, work over load, suffering from heavy debts in business, clash in the family and bad accompany are some of the root causes of taking drugs and one becomes a drug addict. Many times death take place due to consuming excessive quantity of drug.
About nine months ago, on the direction of Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij decision was taken to open Narcotic Crime Bureau (NCB) in Haryana state to wipe out fast increasing cases of drug smuggling and supply of drugs in the state with the appointment of Srikant Jaghav as ADGP in the state. There was a proposal for appointment of IPS officers at Karnal, Ambala, Gurgaon and Hisar districts in the Bureau and appointment of 17 DSPs in unit offices at the districts. According to Rajiv Arora Additional Chief Secretary, the proposal is hanging on fire without any action at the police headquarter Panchkula since past nine months in spite of 22 reminders to DGP Haryana Manoj Yadav with effect from July 2020 till February 2021 for the appointment of staff in this department to control fast expanding dugs network in the state.
