CHANDIGARH: In an act of resistance against drug use in Punjab's Bathinda, residents of Maur Kalan village have marked the houses of alleged drug peddlers with black paint: "aethe chitta shareaam vikda ha" ("heroin is sold openly here"). Police spray-painted over the wall marking after learning about the incident.
The incident comes even amid the Punjab Police's claim that drug availability has reduced by nearly 70% after the 'Yudh Nashia Virudh' campaign was launched on March 1 this year.
Residents took this step after a youth died of suspected drug overdose in the village; however, the police claimed that the youth did not die due to drug over dose.
Interestingly, as per police records, two youths of the village died due to drug consumption in the past month. 22-year-old Sikander died on November 26, after consuming wrong medicine or poisonous substances, as per family statements; a report under 194 BNSS was registered at Maur Police station. Meanwhile, Sukhwinder Singh had also died due to drug overdose on October 30; an FIR was registered the next day under 105,3 (5) of BNS based on the statement of his brother Sukhdeep Singh. The two accused in the case--Amandeep Singh alias Mani and Jagdeep Singh--were arrested.
A large group of women gathered together, claiming that whatever was written on the walls was true. Villagers demanded strict action against those involved in drug trafficking, and also raised slogans against the authorities, alleging that the ongoing campaign against drugs has failed to make any impact in their village.
Two women of the village, Manjit Kaur and Krishna alleged that the drugs were openly sold from the marked house. "Many youth have already fallen prey to drug addiction. Girls are becoming widows at a young age, while elderly ladies are running households alone. Whatever has been written is 100 per cent correct," Krishna alleged. Manjit Kaur said that youths are falling prey to drug abuse, and the police should act strictly to save them.
While another villager, Jagdev Singh, suggested said that youth must be tested for drug use and claimed that many will be found under the influence of easily available substances.
Sources said that in many cases, even after the accused were arrested, the accused were able to secure bail easily as recovered drugs were less than the minimum commercial quantity.
Talking to TNIE, Senior Superintendent of Police of Bathinda, Amneet Kondal said that the police has registered 23 cases under the NDPS Act in Maur Kalan village alone. The police arrested 43 persons since March 1, five people have been admitted to de-addiction centres while others have been sent to outpatient opioid assisted treatment (OOAT) centres.
"This village is one of the hot spots and we are taking action of all the hot spots indentified in the district as 338 cases registered and 484 person arrested from all the hot spots," she said.
As per the official figures with the Bathinda Police, since the 'Yudh Nashia Virudh' was launched on March 1, a total of 1,516 FIRs have been registered in 2025: 35 for commercial use and 1,481 for non-commercial use; 2,232 persons were arrested, 67 in commercial cases and 2,165 in non-commercial cases. A total of 56,503 kg heroin seized, 18,075 kg of opium, 2,048,294 kg of poppy husk, 20,793 kg of ganja, 1.43 lakh pills, 176 syrups, and Rs 32.19 lakh drug money seized.
Senior Congress leader and leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa said, "This is the darkest indictment of Bhagwant Mann’s collapsing governance and Kejriwal’s hollow slogans. When people have to become whistleblowers on their own walls, it shows the state has abandoned them. Punjab did not vote for a government that lets its youth die. We deserve better."