Threat of drones, drugs puts rivals in Gurdaspur on same page

Ravi Dhaliwal

Gurdaspur, May 22

Candidates of all four mainline political parties contesting the elections from the Gurdaspur parliamentary seat may be having ideological differences but they are on the same page when it comes to eradicating the drone menace.

It is a known fact that state and non-state Pakistani actors are regularly pushing drones into India near villages located near the International Border. The frightening part is that these contraptions carry payloads of pure-grade heroin, consignment of which are regularly dropped in villages located near the border.

Heroin smuggled from afghanistan?

• Nominees of political parties say they are aware of the scourge of heroin entering the border district of Gurdaspur and consequently destroying the lives of hundreds of youth
• Drones carry payloads of pure-grade heroin, consignments of which are regularly dropped in villages located near the International Border
• Arrested smugglers have told investigators that the “stuff” that arrives in Gurdaspur’s villages is normally of a very high quality because it is manufactured in Afghanistan
• The Punjab Police has formed village defence committees in hamlets located near the IB. Parents say they are willing to help the police in tracing people who sell drugs on the streets

Smugglers caught by the Punjab Police and the BSF have told investigators that the “stuff” that arrives in Gurdaspur’s villages is normally of a very high-quality because it is manufactured and packed in Afghanistan, known for producing high-purity heroin.

Nominees of political parties say they are aware of the scourge of heroin entering the border district of Gurdaspur and consequently destroying the lives of hundreds of youth.

Congress candidate Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said when he was the Home Minister he had called several meetings to discuss the problem. “I was told by senior officers that the problem is indeed grim and that the cost of manufacturing an anti-drone system was very costly. If elected, the first thing I am going to do is to approach the Defence Research and Development Organisation. I will convince them to manufacture a low-cost system with which the drones can either be brought down or sent back,” said Randhawa.

Forces fighting a losing battle

In Gurdaspur, there are not many industries. This, in turn, means jobs are scarce. Once out of college, chances of a youngster falling into the heroin trap to escape reality of being a burden on his family are very high. The security forces are fighting a losing battle. —Romesh Mahajan, director, red cross de-addiction centre

Generating jobs only solution

After graduation, I could not afford that luxury of sending my son to Canada. Jobless and frustrated, he would wake up every morning and sniff heroin so as to ease the passage of the day with some purchased relief. It took me three years, and with it all my savings of Rs 5 lakh, to bring him back to normal life. The only solution to the problem is to generate jobs. —A parent

AAP candidate Sherry Kalsi said he was aware that scores of youngsters of his Assembly seat of Batala were on heroin. “This is no longer a Gurdaspur-specific problem. It has become a national problem and hence needs a national-level solution. I can only pray that an anti-dote to the drones is found quickly,” he said.

BJP’s Dinesh Singh Babbu said when he remained an MLA from Sujanpur, he had regularly brought this to the notice of the state police officials. “I admit nothing concrete is being done. Our youngsters are indeed getting sucked in a dangerous vortex of drugs. This should stop,” he said.

SAD candidate Daljit Singh Cheema said winning or losing the elections does not matter. “What is of paramount importance is that sophisticated anti-drone systems should be developed and handed over the security forces at the earliest,” he said.