To check drug abuse in colleges, Himachal Police to adopt NIT-Kurukshetra practices

Rajiv Mahajan

Nurpur, November 23

The Himachal Police have taken serious note of a student’s death at the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Hamirpur, due to drug overdose last month. They are all set to implement practices being adopted by the NIT, Kurukshetra, to check drug addiction and peddling in educational institutions.

Police sources said that these strategies implemented in the NIT-Kurukshetra had proven to be effective in curbing the menace.

DGP Sanjay Kundu has written to all SPs, IGPs and DIGs in the state directing them to launch collaborative and concerted efforts to implement these strategies in the educational institutions in their areas in coordination with their heads.

The DGP said that orders in this regard were issued to the district police officials and senior officers on Tuesday. He told The Tribune that he recently had an interaction with the Director of the NIT, Kurukshetra, who shared strategies that had successfully maintained a drug-free environment in the institution.

“These practices include the celebration of festivals ensuring active participation of all students, faculty members and head of the institution; activities like yoga sessions and spiritual events; creation of specialised laboratories; organising sports matches regularly and encouraging participation in NCC and NSS activities. Besides, a provision of on-campus quality eateries will discourage students from seeking illegal substances outside,” he added.

The DGP said he would recommend to the government to issue strict orders to all colleges and universities to launch such practices.