In Punjab Chief Minister's ancestral village Mehraj, an old man loses 2 sons to drug menace

Sameer Singh

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, September 6

In Mehraj, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s ancestral village in Rampura block in Bathinda district, 52-year-old Jasbir Kaur’s eyes well up as she narrates the tragic tale of her two sons Gobind Singh (28) and Chinda Singh (23), who died of an overdose of “chitta” (heroin) a week ago.

Will call special meeting soon: DC

Even though the police are taking steps to curb the drug menace, I will call a special meeting soon to review the situation. — B Srinivasan, Bathinda DC

“We had no idea they were taking drugs. They returned from the brick kiln where they were working as labourers and went off to sleep after taking dinner. In the morning, to our utter grief, we found them both dead.”

The heartbroken father Bhinder Singh said: “I have lost my sons at the prime of their youth. I do not want any compensation. I just want that no other parent should bear such loss due to drugs. The government should take concrete steps to curb this menace.” The two deaths are not isolated cases in Mehraj village. Three months ago, 22-year-old kabaddi player, who lived near Bhinder’s family, died of overdose. More recently, another youth from the village was found lying unconscious with a needle injected in his arm. Another youth from Rampura was found dead due to overdose just two days ago.

A senior nagar panchayat member, requesting anonymity, said nearly 30 to 40 per cent of the village youth were addicts, mostly hooked to heroin. “The police inaction can be attributed to political patronage enjoyed by peddlers and their handlers,” he alleged.

Villagers rued that Capt Amarinder Singh had done nothing to keep his pre-poll promise of ending the menace. “The menace has only grown manifold at his ancestral village in the past four and a half years,” said a Mehraj resident.

Members of the Naujwan Ekta Mehraj, a social service group, said: “The population of our village is around 42,000 and it has 200 to 225 active peddlers. You can find used syringes and related material in secluded areas near the cremation ground, public toilets, grain market, etc.”

A senior member of the group said, “We had been been actively working against the menace but some of our members started getting threats from peddlers and associates of gangsters. They boasted about their links with police officials and influential political leaders, and threatened us with dire consequences.”

“Since heroin is an expensive drug and not many can afford it, incidents of chain-snatching and stealing have gone up in the village,” said another member.

SSP, Bathinda, Ajay Maluja did not respond to the numerous attempts made to contact him.

Deputy Commissioner, Bathinda, B Srinivasan said: “Even though the police administration is taking the required steps to curb the drug menace, I will call a special meeting soon to review the situation and take a decision accordingly.”

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