With a phenomenal increase in the number of narcotics trafficking and consumption cases in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) in recent years, over 1,400 people are currently jailed for their involvement in drug-related crimes in the Union Territory (UT).
Official figures reveal that as of December 31, 2021, out of the 4,532 undertrials lodged in various jails of Jammu and Kashmir, 1,442 were involved in drug-related crimes. the data released by J&K’s Prison department reveals, among the trials, 1,421 are males and 21 are females.
In J&K a pre-existing chronic issue of drug abuse has now acquired epidemic proportions, with the growing use of heroin. Heroin usage and trafficking has serious ramifications for terrorism in J&K.
What is alarming is that of those involved in narcotics cases registered under 'The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act – 1985', 286 are in the age group of 18-25 years while 569 are in the age group of 25-35 years.
Also, 355 are in the age group of 35-45 years, 199 in the age group of 45-60 years and 33 are over 60 years of age.
J&K Police chief Dilbag Singh had recently said that narco-terrorism was a new and deadlier challenge as it will provide oxygen to terrorism. In an earlier statement, he had said that Pakistan is “repeating the same dirty game that they played in Punjab, first giving arms training and later spoiling the youth with drugs.”
One kilogram of heroin originating in Afghanistan, coming via Pakistan costs approximately Rs 5 lakh in South Asia and fetches nearly Rs 5 crore in the international market.
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Published 27 February 2022, 06:40 IST