'High' on purpose: Punjab police officer scales 6,080-m Himalayan peak to spread message against drugs

SP Gurjot Singh Kaler of Punjab Police scaled the Shinkun East Peak, situated at an altitude of 6,080 metres in the remote highlands of Lahaul, Himachal Pradesh, in the early hours of July 20.

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The final push to the summit involved an intense, continuous ascent of 1,500 metres, navigating dangerous crevasses, snow-laden ridges, and the harsh effects of extreme altitude.

SP Kaler unfurled the Indian national flag, alongside a banner dedicated to “Yudh Nasheyan Virudh” (War against Drugs), a flagship anti-drug campaign jointly launched by the Punjab Police and the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Punjab.

Kaler said the gesture was a symbolic effort to carry Punjab’s message of drug resistance to one of the highest summits in the Indian Himalayas.

“Climbing this peak was not just a personal goal, but a way of reminding ourselves and our youth that the fight against drugs must reach every frontier,” said Gurjot Singh Kaler. “This banner at 6,000 metres stands for a Punjab that rises above addiction and walks the path of hope.”

The expedition was made possible with expert guidance and logistical support from the team at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (ABVIMAS), Manali, under the direction of Avinash Negi. Seasoned mountaineering instructors, including Ludar Singh, Desh Raj, Bhag Singh, Dina Nath, Bhuvi and Frady, were instrumental in fixing routes, setting ropes and ensuring climber safety in challenging conditions.

Though the full expedition group comprised around 60 climbers, the summit photograph captured a small core team of six, standing tall on the snow-covered peak — holding aloft the Tricolour and the anti-drug banner — a bold visual commitment to a cause that affects countless lives back home.

Kaler is currently on deputation in Manipur for the supervision of Special Investigation Teams tasked to probe issues arising out of ethnic conflict.