2 youths die of suspected drug overdose in Sirsa village within 24 hours

Two young men have died within 24 hours in Santawali village of Haryana’s Sirsa district, with villagers alleging drug overdose as the cause, police said on Saturday.

On Thursday night, a youth named Anuj died after reportedly consuming drugs. Barely a day later, another villager, Rajinder (20), also passed away. He was rushed to Sirsa hospital in critical condition but died during treatment, his family members said.

Rajinder, the only brother of four sisters, had been addicted to drugs for nearly five years. Though he had quit for some time, he had recently relapsed, his father Harpal Singh said.

Police, however, said they had no official information that Rajinder’s death was due to an overdose.

“Based on villagers’ complaints regarding drug supply, a case has been registered against 11 people. No arrests have been made yet, and efforts are on to trace the accused,” said Station House Officer Satyanarayan.