A 47-year-old man, Gulzar Singh, from Dirba in Sangrur district, allegedly died by suicide after consuming poison. In a purported video, he questioned Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema about the unabated supply of 'chitta' (synthetic drugs) in the area, stating his son was addicted. Opposition parties have seized on the incident, demanding a probe and justice for Gulzar Singh, putting the Mann-led AAP government under pressure regarding the drug menace in the state.
Himachal Pradesh Police have arrested two major interstate suppliers of 'chitta' (adulterated heroin) from Chandigarh and Punjab, following investigations into separate drug cases.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited Punjab to meet families of individuals who died in incidents linked to the state's drug menace. He assured justice to the families of Gulzar Singh, Bikramjit Singh, and anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, who were victims of drug-related issues. The visit comes amidst a political slugfest ahead of upcoming Assembly elections, with opposition parties criticising the AAP government over the drug problem.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has promised stringent action against those responsible for the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh alias Jhota in Mansa, where tensions are high following the killing, protests, and demolition of the accused's house. Mann reiterated the government's zero-tolerance policy on drugs and assured a thorough investigation into the incident and any conspiracy behind it.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday met the families of individuals who lost their lives due to drug-related issues in Punjab, saying he had never felt so deeply saddened in life as he did while meeting them and also called out the AAP government for failing to curb the menace.
The Himachal Pradesh government is set to implement stringent measures, including mandatory drug testing for government jobs and 'bulldozer action' against drug smugglers, to combat the growing menace of 'chitta' (adulterated heroin) in the state.
Himachal Pradesh Police detained 19 habitual drug traffickers under the PIT-NDPS Act as part of an intensified crackdown on narcotics trade, particularly involving chitta (smack) and heroin.
Police in Shimla have arrested the alleged kingpin of an interstate drug trafficking network involved in the 'chitta' (adulterated heroin) trade. The accused, Hardeep Singh, was apprehended following a raid, and investigations are ongoing to uncover the full extent of the network.
Shimla police arrested a key heroin supplier in Jalalabad, Punjab, close to the India-Pakistan border. The accused, Akashdeep alias Akash, was arrested following an investigation into two Punjab residents caught with heroin in Shimla.
Jammu police have intensified their crackdown on narcotics under the 'Nasha Mukt Abhiyan', with a zero-tolerance approach. The SSP has warned of strict accountability for police personnel and highlighted the alarming rise in drug peddling, terming it a conspiracy by an 'enemy country'.
Police in Shimla arrested two individuals, including a woman, for possessing 562 LSD stamps, estimated to be worth 1.1 crore on the black market. The suspects have been identified as Sandeep Sharma and Priya Sharma. A case has been registered under the NDPS Act, and further investigation is underway.
An extensive drug trafficking network operating throughout north India, with a particular focus on Shimla, has been busted following the arrest of two individuals - one from Kolkata and one from Delhi. The syndicate used online platforms for booking drugs, misusing innocent people's accounts and delivering drugs through couriers. Police have frozen 21 accounts associated with the network and arrested 16 individuals, including the kingpin, Sandeep Shah.
What has really alarmed the police, and also the families of young drug abusers, is the entry of "chitta" -- a highly refined white powdery semi-synthetic substance (mainly heroine) -- into the drug scene and has spread like wildfire among the state's youth. Ashwani Sharma reports.
The recommendation is being forwarded to the Union government.
