Drug crackdown sparks villagers’ exodus

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Pathankot, July 21

The Pathankot and Kangra police have declared the twin villages of Bhadroya and Chhanni Beli — notorious for harbouring drug smugglers – as ghost villages because 90 per cent of the residents have fled after locking their houses.

“The exodus suggests that most people in these villages of Kangra district are involved in the drug trade. We are gathering information about their whereabouts,” said Pathankot SSP Vivek Sheel Soni. He is conducting the operation along with Kangra SP Santosh Patiyal.

Most of the inhabitants belong to the Sansi tribe which, over the years, has gained infamy for manufacturing hooch.

“The community members have become active in Dinanagar, Gurdaspur and Batala. After their hooch trade was wiped out, they started selling high-grade heroin,” said Soni.

“Business was good before the police cracked the whip last month. Now, there are more cops in my village than residents. I am not sure when my neighbours will come back,” said Swarna Ram, one of the few residents who have stayed put in Chhanni Beli village.

For the past week, the police have been conducting raids. On Friday night, they arrested a woman, Rozy, and recovered 3-gm smack from here. “Based on clues given by Rozy, we have raided hideouts in Kangra district. We expect to make more arrests soon,” a senior officer said.

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had recently sought the help of the adjoining states of Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir and Haryana to clamp down on drug smugglers.