Third drug death in 3 weeks in Sirsa; two arrested

A 26-year-old youth, Arshdeep, died due to a suspected drug overdose at Abubshahar village near Dabwali on Tuesday. His body was found near the village water works, and the police recovered a syringe from the spot.

Advertisement

Arshdeep had been struggling with drug addiction for the past three years, according to his family. He had returned to the village just 20 days ago after working as a labourer in Bikaner. His family believed he had left drugs behind and had also arranged for treatment in Dabwali. Doctors were regularly checking in with the family to monitor his condition.

His elder brother, Gurlabh Singh, said Arshdeep often rejected marriage proposals due to his addiction. The family also avoided arranging his marriage, fearing the impact it could have on another person’s life.

Gurlabh added that drugs were easily available in the village and many people were involved in their sale. Arshdeep used to crush pills, dissolve these and inject the solution. This marks the third drug-related death in Abubshahar within just three weeks.

Following the incident, the police launched an investigation. Sub-Inspector Anand Kumar, in-charge of the Chautala police post, confirmed that two residents, Gurwinder Singh and Malkit Singh, alias Deep, had been arrested. According to the complaint filed by Gurlabh, the two suspects gave Arshdeep a strong dose of drugs and took him to the water works area, where his condition deteriorated. Arshdeep told his brother about the overdose shortly before his death.

A case has been registered at Sadar Police Station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The police have taken the accused into custody and are seeking their remand for further investigation. More arrests are likely.

In a broader crackdown, the police conducted a raid on Thursday morning under “Operation Aakraman” at Abubshahar village. Multiple teams, including CIA Staff Dabwali, dog squad, and local police units, searched the homes of suspected drug peddlers. Anand Kumar issued a stern warning, saying drug traffickers must leave the area or face strict legal action.

Meanwhile, Dabwali Superintendent of Police Nikita Khatter held a meeting with the Police Public Coordination Committee to seek public input on tackling drugs and crime. The issue of illegal medical shops selling drugs was raised and the SPsaid stern action would be take if anyone found guilty. She urged the public to report drug users and dealers in their areas and stressed that public support was essential to eliminate the drug problem.