Centre shifts focus to drug menace after gains against Naxals

After largely curbing Naxal violence and confining it to certain pockets of Chhattisgarh, the government has now shifted its focus to the growing menace of narcotics, particularly in Punjab, Kerala and Maharashtra.

This shift was evident during a recent high-level meeting in which Home Minister Amit Shah reportedly expressed serious concern over rising drug seizures and their spread among youth.

According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, Kerala topped the list of states in 2022 with 26,619 cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, followed by Maharashtra (13,830), Punjab (12,442), Uttar Pradesh (11,541) and Tamil Nadu (10,385).

The quantity of drugs seized in 2022 was the highest compared to the preceding years (2018 to 2021), as it stood at 20,80,575 kg, 1,74,90,971 in numbers and 46,40,749 litres.

Sources privy to developments said Shah expressed dissatisfaction with the measures listed by officials to curb narcotics and asked tough questions during a presentation on seizures, making frequent interventions. He directed that the drug menace be given top priority and called for effective strategies to dismantle syndicates.

Shah’s concerns stem from the consistent rise in both the number of cases and the quantity of narcotics seized in recent years. Another area of worry was the easy availability of drugs in educational institutions. He is said to have underlined the need to dismantle supply networks nationwide, sources added.