Anti-drug demolitions in Kashmir spark debate over ‘due process’

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir administration’s aggressive anti-drug campaign has triggered a debate in the Valley after authorities demolished several houses and commercial structures allegedly linked to drug peddlers, with political and religious leaders questioning the manner in which the drive is being carried out.

The demolitions, undertaken as part of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s intensified campaign against narcotics, have been projected by the administration as a tough message against the growing drug menace in the Union Territory.

Officials say the campaign has targeted properties allegedly raised through proceeds of narcotics trafficking or constructed illegally on state land. In recent weeks, police and civil administration demolished multiple structures in Srinagar, Anantnag and other districts, claiming those were connected to notorious drug peddlers.

The administration’s crackdown has found support among many residents concerned over the alarming rise in drug addiction among Kashmiri youth. Officials have repeatedly highlighted increasing rehabilitation efforts, counselling services and police action against narcotics networks as part of the broader “Nasha Mukt J&K” campaign.

Addressing recent public meetings, Sinha described narcotics as a major threat to society and vowed strict action against drug networks operating in Jammu and Kashmir.

However, concerns are now emerging over what critics describe as “bulldozer justice”.

J&K Health Minister Sakina Itoo recently cautioned against demolishing homes over allegations of drug peddling, saying such actions could adversely affect families and innocents living in those houses.

Hurriyat Conference chairman and Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also weighed into the debate, saying the administration’s campaign against the drug menace was a “welcome step” but cautioning that the crisis should not be viewed only through a “law and order prism” marked by “headline grabbing arrests and property confiscation”.

Opposition leaders have similarly questioned whether all demolitions followed proper legal procedures, including notices and opportunities for appeal.

Legal experts say authorities have powers under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act to seize or attach properties proven to be acquired through proceeds of crime. However, they argue that demolitions must still comply with municipal laws and constitutional safeguards.

The controversy has also revived a larger national debate over punitive demolitions carried out before courts establish guilt.

Despite the criticism, there is little disagreement across Kashmir’s political spectrum about the seriousness of the drug crisis. In recent years, officials and health experts have repeatedly warned of a sharp rise in substance abuse among young people in the Valley.

Many residents say the administration deserves credit for acknowledging the scale of the problem and initiating a sustained crackdown on narcotics networks. But they also argue that strong policing must be balanced with transparency and due process to avoid alienating families and creating perceptions of collective punishment.