Women, children caught in the web as Sirsa drug crisis deepens

What began as a hidden issue in isolated pockets has now turned into a full-blown drug crisis in Sirsa district — a crisis that has crept into homes, classrooms and even hospital wards. Once limited to a few localities, drug abuse now afflicts both urban and rural communities, with a growing number of women and children getting drawn into the dark world of addiction and trafficking.

At the de-addiction centre of Sirsa’s civil hospital, over 100 people seek help each day — either to quit drugs or to manage the severe health issues that accompany long-term use. “Back in 2014, the centre had recorded just 1,405 patients in a year. That number soared to over 33,000 by 2024,” a hospital official revealed, pointing to the explosive growth of the crisis.

The most commonly abused substances are heroin, locally known as chitta and pharmaceutical drugs. Police sources say traffickers have changed tactics to evade the law, often supplying small quantities that qualify for bail. To carry out deliveries, minors and women are frequently used, sometimes near schools, colleges and even hospitals.

A 28-year-old man, Ravi (name changed), is undergoing treatment at the centre. Once a healthy young man weighing 80 kg, he now weighs barely 45 kg. Years of heroin abuse have left his liver and kidneys severely damaged. Sitting beside him is his wife, cradling their infant daughter. With tears in her eyes, she says, “I feel like I’ve seen hell while still alive. I just want him to recover. My parents had such dreams for my marriage, and now they feel nothing but sorrow.”

Krishna Devi (name changed), a 55-year-old mother from a nearby village, brings her son for treatment — for the second time. “He became addicted to chitta in school. Now he turns violent when he can’t get drugs,” she says. “My daughter is 22 and unmarried. Who will marry her when her brother is an addict?” She alleges that a woman in her village openly sells drugs and despite several complaints, police have taken no action. “Our children are being destroyed. When will the government wake up?”

In another ward, a newlywed woman sits by her husband, who developed an addiction to sleep-inducing medication after losing his father. “An unqualified doctor gave him medicines that triggered this,” she says. Now undergoing treatment, he claims that even in hospital premises, drug peddlers approach patients when they step out for fresh air or use the washroom.

Dr Pankaj Sharma, senior medical officer at the centre, says, “Addiction is both a social evil and a medical condition. Most families bring patients here only after exhausting all other options. It affects not just the addict but the entire family — we are seeing rising cases of depression among family members, school dropouts and married women left to live like widows.”