Former DGP plans drive against drug trade in Punjab

AMRITSAR: To save youth from the perils of drugs, former director general of police (prisons) Shashikant has chalked out a three-phase programme to fight the "narco politics" cartels being allegedly run by politicians and influential security personnel in Punjab. Shashikant was in Amritsar to attend a function on Tuesday.
Talking to TOI, Shashikant alleged that post-terrorism, politicians and security forces officials have encouraged drug smuggling in Punjab, given the huge financial gains from the illegal trade and reigns of the business were in the hands of a few leaders. However, he refrained from taking the names of politicians involved in drug smuggling.
"The cross-border drug trade began during militancy in Punjab in 1980s. Terrorists used to buy weapons from drug money due to which, this trade came to be known as 'narco terrorism.' Post-terrorism, politicians joined the trade and now I call the trade 'narco politics'," he said, giving the background about the subject.
Founder of Nasha Virdohi Manch, launched to make Punjab a drug-free state, Shashikant stressed on the need to create awareness against hazards of drugs and its longtime affect on society. Recalling an incident, he said when he was DGP (prisons) he had visited Kapurthala jail where an inmate told him that one kg heroin was traded in each big jail of Punjab everyday.
"There are 29 big prisons in Punjab. If not 29 kg, let us assume 10 kg of heroin is traded in jails every day, it is alarming," he remarked.
About his programme, Shashikant said he would create awareness against drugs in the state for a year, which would be followed by non-cooperation under which there would be boycott of political parties. "The phase will continue for another 6-8 months, and if there is no improvement then we would hit the roads. We have to save our younger generation from drug abuse, it is killing them," said the former top cop, adding that he would want every political party to make tackling the drug menace top agenda in their manifestos.