Parents of addicts struggle with mental agony, financial crisis

Despite massive crackdown on inter-state drug smugglers over the past two years, drug abuse among the youth in the border district of Nurpur remains rampant. Heroin (chitta) addiction has become a grave social issue, with young victims struggling to return to normal life due to the lack of government-run drug de-addiction and rehabilitation centres. There is a growing demand for such facilities in the police district, which includes Nurpur, Indora, Jawali and Fatehpur subdivisions.

A ground report by The Tribune reveals the severe mental and financial distress faced by the parents of drug addicts in Nurpur and Indora. Many families are witnessing their children ruin their lives, while also suffering massive financial losses. With increased police pressure on drug peddlers, chitta has become scarce, leading to a sharp rise in its price. One parent from Indora recounted how his son resorted to stealing household items, including jewellery, to buy the drug from small-time peddlers operating in secrecy.

Some parents have exhausted their life savings and even sold immovable properties to fund their children’s addiction. A retired government employee from Indora lamented that he had sold his property to meet the demands of his only son, who is addicted to chitta. Similarly, a widow from Mand area is facing unbearable trauma, as her addicted son often turns violent. In desperation, she even lodged a police complaint after he assaulted her for refusing to give him money for drugs.

The situation has worsened with the scarcity of chitta, pushing young addicts toward dangerous injectable drugs. This shift has led to a rise in serious health issues, with several cases of HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C detected among drug users in Nurpur district over the past two years.

In 2023, Nurpur police launched a pilot project, Saarthi, in collaboration with local authorities and the civil hospital. The initiative aimed to rehabilitate drug addicts and reintegrate them into society. Despite showing promising results, the project has not been expanded to other areas of the district, leaving many families without access to support.

Frustrated and helpless, parents are now urging the state government to establish government-run drug de-addiction and rehabilitation centres in the region. While a few private centres, run by individuals from Punjab, exist in the border areas, they are ill-equipped and unaffordable for most families.

The crisis demands urgent intervention to save the younger generation from the clutches of drug addiction and provide much-needed relief to distressed families.