Curbed drug menace to large extent in border areas: SSP Baramulla

Baramulla, Jul 18: Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Baramulla, Amod Ashok Nagpure on Tuesday said drug peddling and smuggling was a major challenge in the border areas but J&K Police with a sustained campaign has been able to curb the menace to a large extent.
Addressing the media persons on the sidelines of a free medical camp organised in Silikote village of Uri border town, the SSP said, “The progress made in curbing drug peddling and smuggling in this north Kashmir district over the last six months would serve as a clear message to all people involved in drug menace to stop their illegal activities as they would soon face the consequences if they hadn’t already.”
He warned that police would not tolerate drug-related offenses and advised those involved in illegal activities to abstain from it. He expressed optimism that through the active cooperation of the people, the police would soon succeed in making Baramulla a drug-free district.
The SSP said that in the past six months, they have filed 187 FIRs under the NDPS Act, leading to the arrest of 318 drug peddlers. “Among those arrested, 34 peddlers who are considered hardcore and repeat offenders have been charged under the NDPS Public Safety Act (PSA),” he said.
Describing the strategies implemented to combat drug abuse, SSP Baramulla said, “First, we focused on cracking down on the suppliers, considering it the initial part of their strategy. Also, to tackle the demand side, the police initiated an ongoing awareness program to combat the drug menace.”
The presence of a drug de-addiction center in Baramulla, along with centers in Srinagar and Anantnag, further supports our goal of addressing the demand side while concurrently reducing the drug supply, he added.
He said Baramulla Police, led by DIG Vivek Gupta, conducted a free medical camp for the residents of Silikote village as part of the Government of India’s border outreach program.
“This initiative aims to address the concerns and issues of the locals by facilitating interaction between officials from different government departments and the community. The medical camp organized on this day falls within the framework of this program,” he added.