More women take to peddling in Ferozepur

Anirudh Gupta

Ferozepur, July 3

Security forces are alarmed at the rising involvement of women in drug peddling in the border region.

More than 30 cases have come to the fore in last couple of months where women have been booked for possession or peddling of drugs and psychotropic substances.

Matter of concern

The involvement of women in the drug trade is indeed a matter of concern for society. There should be ample employment opportunities for women belonging to the poor section so that they do not take to drug trade. Dr Sunil Thakkar, Psychiatrist

Earlier, the BSF had deployed women guards to frisk local women who used to go beyond the barbed fencing to tend to the fields along the Indo-Pakistan border.

As per information, cross-border agencies and drug cartels have been deliberately luring women in this field to evade suspicion of the security agencies. “Lack of economic options juxtaposed with desire to make a quick buck are also driving the women to drug smuggling,” said an intelligence official, adding that the trend had seen a spurt in the past few months.

On June 22, the police had arrested Shabnam, a resident of Fazilka district, near Guddar Dandi village in with five-gram heroin. On June 13, one Jasvir Kaur, a resident of Peer Mohammad village in the Makhu block was nabbed with 10-gram heroin. Jasvir was booked under the NDPS Act at the Makhu police station.

On June 8, the police had arrested one Paramjit Kaur, a resident Basti Maghar Singh Wali in Guruharsahai, following recovery of 190 intoxicating tablets from her possession. She was booked under the provisions of the NDPS Act.

On May 21, the police had booked Ravni, a resident of Basti Shekhwan, Ferozepur, following the death of a drug addict who had bought drugs from her.

Previously also, the police had booked three women in Ferozepur following the death of a youth identified as Vicky, a resident of Basti Shekhwa, who had died due to alleged overdose. All of them were booked under Section 304, IPC.

On April 7, this year the police had arrested Parkash Kaur and her daughter Praveen Kaur, both residents of Tendiwala village, following the recovery of 920-gram heroin. Later, it was revealed that both got involved in the drug trade as Parkash's husband was bed-ridden. Moreover, their land had also been mortgaged.

“The involvement of women in the drug trade is indeed a matter of concern for society. There should be ample employment opportunities for the women belonging to poor section so that they do not fall in this trap of drug trade,” said psychiatrist Dr Sunil Thakkar.

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