Despite crackdown, chitta menace deepens in Sirsa; seizures double in current year

Despite sustained crackdowns, Sirsa district continues to reel under the growing menace of chitta (heroin), as smugglers adopt smarter tactics and widen their network, exposing flaws in the enforcement system.

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Crisis in numbers (Jan–June 2025)

189 NDPS cases registered

313 arrests made

8 kg of chitta seized (valued over Rs 50 crore)

4 kg heroin seized from Ellenabad alone

Over 100 drug-related deaths since January 2024

15,000+ youth estimated addicted in Sirsa

According to police data from January 1 to June 30, 2025, Sirsa Police registered 189 narcotics cases, arrested 313 individuals, and seized 8 kg of chitta — valued at over Rs 50 crore — nearly double the quantity seized in the same period last year.

A staggering 4 kg of heroin worth approximately Rs 25 crore was seized from the Ellenabad area alone in March. Additionally, police also recovered 25 kg of ganja and various other narcotics, indicating the extensive reach of the illicit drug trade in the district.

However, even with record seizures, reports suggest the drug crisis is worsening. Chitta is reportedly being sold openly in multiple villages, especially near schools, religious places and crowded rural areas, raising concerns among residents.

A recent flashpoint came from Kesupura village, where the local community united in protest against the sale of chitta and demanded closure of an illegal liquor sub-vend. Villagers alleged that a local man was openly peddling heroin near the Gurdwara Sahib and claimed to have submitted written complaints naming the individual. Yet, no action has been taken by police so far, further eroding public trust.

Sources from Sirsa’s civil hospital reported over 100 drug-related deaths —mostly among youth — between January 2024 and June 2025, primarily due to chitta overdose. Health officials estimate that over 15,000 young people in the district are currently addicted to narcotics, urgently requiring treatment or counselling.

Shockingly, neither the police nor the health department maintain official records of drug-related deaths or addiction figures, hampering any accurate assessment of the crisis.

Raising the issue, Sirsa MP Kumari Selja slammed the local administration. “If the police are really acting, then who is selling chitta in every corner of Sirsa? Why are our youth still dying?” she asked. Accusing the police of ignoring their core duty, she said, “Instead of tackling this crisis, they are busy issuing traffic challans.”

In a recent district-level crime review meeting, SP Mayank Gupta directed officers to go beyond arrests and start seizing the properties of drug traffickers under Section 68 of the NDPS Act.

“Arrests alone are not enough. We must break their financial backbone,” Gupta said, instructing SHOs to review previous NDPS cases, identify traffickers’ assets and initiate seizure proceedings through competent authorities.