‘Yuva Sanjh’ initiative transforms 32 lives, steers youth away from crime

Thirty-two young individuals, previously involved in various anti-social activities, have turned their lives around and are now living peacefully, thanks to the consistent intervention and counselling under the ‘Yuva Sanjh’ initiative led by the police. This initiative helped these youths break away from criminal activities and reintegrate into mainstream society.

Of the 32 individuals, seven were involved in drug peddling, while another ten were struggling with drug addiction. Two were heavily influenced by radical ideologies, posing a threat to communal harmony. Ten others had been spreading controversial content on social media, inciting unrest among the youth. The remaining three had ties to notorious criminal gangs.

The transformation was not easy and took over 15 months of continuous counselling at various levels. However, all 32 youths have now either secured employment or started small businesses. One individual who had once promoted radical views on social media has even managed to secure a government job and is now a completely changed person.

Speaking to The Tribune, SSP Saumya Mishra emphasised punitive measures are not always the solution. “We need policies that address the root causes of crime,” she said. “Our Constitution itself stresses the importance of counselling for offenders. With this in mind, we launched this initiative in May 2023 and over the past several months, we’ve been able to guide at least some of these youths onto the right path.”

SSP Mishra also commended the efforts of the team behind the ‘Yuva Sanjh’ initiative, including the team leaders Gurbhej Singh (Incharge of Yuva Sanjh Kender), Varinder Kumar (Ferozepur Urban), Gurmit Singh (Ferozepur Rural) and Navtej Singh (Guruharsahai). “Their hard work in de-radicalising some youths and motivating others to abandon drug peddling has been remarkable,” she added.

The programme also benefited from the support of psychologists from Civil Hospital, including Dr Rachna Mittal, Dr Mandeep Kumar and other counsellors, who regularly interacted with the youths to help them overcome drug addiction and criminal thinking. Additionally, the youths received vocational training to equip them with skills that would enable them to start their own businesses or pursue employment.

“All these efforts are now yielding positive results,” said the SSP, noting the involvement of the youths’ families in the process was crucial for providing the emotional support they needed.

The ‘Yuva Sanjh’ initiative is a powerful example of how comprehensive rehabilitation and support can transform lives and help individuals reintegrate into society as responsible, contributing citizens.