Himachal Pradesh is facing a drug crisis, with 66 overdose deaths in three years and thousands of NDPS cases, prompting government action through law enforcement, asset confiscation, and rehabilitation programs.
Key Points
- 66 people in Himachal Pradesh died from drug overdoses between 2023 and January 2026, with the highest number of deaths occurring in 2024.
- Over 6,246 cases have been registered under the NDPS Act in the past three years, with a significant portion related to 'Chitta' (adulterated heroin).
- The Himachal Pradesh government is confiscating assets of drug traffickers and has established a state-level National Coordination Centre (NCORD) to combat drug abuse.
- A toll-free number (112) and a 'Drug-Free Himachal' mobile application have been launched to gather information and raise awareness about drug-related activities.
- 109 'Disha Centres' are now operational across Himachal Pradesh, providing counselling services to addicts.
A total of 66 people died due to drug overdose in the past three years in Himachal Pradesh from 2023 till January 31, 2026, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu informed the Assembly in a written reply on Tuesday.
Replying to the question of BJP MLAs Jeet Ram Katwal and Prakash Rana, the chief minister said in 2023, eight people died from drug overdose, 31 people in 2024 and then 24 deaths in 2025, while no deaths were reported in the first month of 2026.
A total of 6,246 cases have been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in the past three years, and chargesheets have been submitted in the courts in 5,684 cases, he said.
Sukhu further said that cancellation reports were filed in 19 cases, while 57 cases remain untraced and 486 cases are undergoing investigation.
Among the cases adjudicated by courts, convictions were secured in 108 cases, while the accused were acquitted in 139 cases, and the remaining 5,437 cases are currently pending trial in the courts.
The state is witnessing growing concern regarding the rising trend of drug abuse, particularly Chitta (adulterated heroin) and 3,152 cases of the total 6,246 NDPS cases registered were related to Chitta, he added.
Over the past three years, 5,298 accused persons have been granted bail, he said and added that bail is granted in cases involving small quantities (up to 5 grams).
Furthermore, in cases involving intermediate quantities (exceeding 5 grams but less than 250 grams) and commercial quantities (250 grams or more), bail is granted by the courts under special circumstances, Sukhu said.
Government Initiatives to Combat Drug Abuse
He said that for the prevention of drug abuse, the state government is confiscating illegal assets acquired by drug traffickers through trafficking, and the state-level National Coordination Centre (NCORD) has been constituted under the chairmanship of the chief secretary, the anti-narcotics task force and the additional director general of police (CID).
A toll-free number -112 has been issued to receive information regarding trafficking and activities related to smuggling from the general public, and the Drug-Free Himachal mobile application has also been launched, he said.
Drug Prevention Committees have been constituted at the level of every police station, and so far preventive detention orders have been issued against 125 people under section 3 of the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PITNDPS ) Act, he added.
Regular search operations, inspections and checking on roads and awareness drives on drug abuse are also being conducted, and five 15-bed Integrated Drug Prevention and Rehabilitation Centres are being run in the state through non-governmental organisations.
Currently, 109 new 'Disha Centres' are operational across the state, with counselling services provided to addicts by doctors and counsellors.
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