Highest overdose deaths in Punjab, has more peddlers than users: NCRB

More Punjabis were found to be trafficking narcotics than consuming them, according to the latest countrywide analytical report of 2023 released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

Punjab topped the country with the highest proportion of drug smuggling cases — 25.3 cases per lakh population. In contrast, cases of drug use stood at 12.4 per lakh, showing a clear tilt towards trafficking rather than consumption.

The state also witnessed the highest number of drug overdose deaths in India for the second year in a row, with 89 fatalities, though this was a decline from 144 deaths the previous year. Madhya Pradesh was second with 85 deaths and Rajasthan with 84 deaths in the same year. The national total for drug overdose deaths in 2023 was 654.

In a striking revelation, neighbouring Himachal Pradesh emerged as the second-highest state in the country for drug-smuggling ratios. The hill state recorded only 2,146 cases under the NDPS Act in 2023, not even among the top 10 states in overall numbers. Yet the break-up revealed 547 cases for consumption and 1,599 for trafficking — a ratio of 7.3 per lakh for consumption compared to 21.3 per lakh for trafficking. Its geographical position bordering Punjab and Jammu makes it a receiving and forwarding route for narcotics.

While Punjab figured as the top state in trafficking ratio, it stood third in the absolute number of the NDPS cases. A total of 11,589 cases were lodged in 2023, behind Kerala (30,697 cases) and Maharashtra (15,610 cases). However, a closer look at these southern states suggests another trend: the bulk of cases there were related to consumption rather than trafficking.

Kerala had the highest number of FIRs at 30,697 — translating to 85.7 cases per lakh — of which a massive 28,015 were for consumption (78.2 per lakh) and just 2,682 (7.5 per lakh) for smuggling. Maharashtra followed a similar pattern with 13,075 of its 15,610 cases linked to drug use (10.3 per lakh), with trafficking limited to just 2,535 (2 per lakh). These figures indicate that states like Kerala and Maharashtra serve more as major drug markets than supply routes.

In contrast, Punjab’s unique position on the international border with Pakistan reinforces its role as a transit corridor. Narcotics, especially heroin, are smuggled from Afghanistan via Pakistan into Punjab before being pushed to other states.

The state’s alleged “drug problem” has been part of national debate since 2013 when Punjab began topping NCRB charts for drug smuggling cases. Documentaries, investigative reports and even films like “Udta Punjab” spotlighted its grim reality. The drug crisis has since become a central issue in Punjab’s political and electoral narrative.

Punjab also has poor record about penalising cops for escape of criminals from custody. Seven FIRs were lodged and eight police personnel were arrested. But none was chargesheeted.

In contrast, Uttar Pradesh lodged six FIRs against 19 cops, all of whom were chargesheeted while Gujarat had three FIRs, seven arrests and all were chargesheeted. Rajasthan had one FIR against 11 persons and all were charge-sheeted.

There was a 40 per cent decline in overall farm suicides in Punjab over four years, dropping to 174 in 2023 (141 cultivators and 33 farm labourers).