J&K’s Anti-Drug Drive Yields Major Results: 700 Arrested, 44,000 Patients Treated in 31 Days

A month after Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha launched the much-publicised Nasha Mukti Abhiyan and set a 100-day target to eradicate the drug menace, authorities in the Union Territory have arrested nearly 700 drug traffickers and peddlers.

Addressing an anti-drug rally in Baramulla in north Kashmir, the lieutenant governor said that more than 44,000 outpatients (OPD) have been treated, around 700 drug smugglers and peddlers arrested, and stringent action taken against the drug supply chain during the past 31 days.

During the rally, the lieutenant governor interacted with citizens and participated in a padyatra. He also announced the launch of two innovative pillars for the remaining 69 days of the campaign — the Community Immunisation Programme Against Drugs and the Family Fortress Initiative.

Speaking on the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor said that just as communities are vaccinated against bacteria and viruses, the administration will partner with religious leaders and social organisations to create a community immunisation programme against drugs in five to ten high-risk hotspot areas in each district.

1. 700 Drug Traffickers Arrested in Just 31 Days
2. 44,000+ OPD Patients Treated Under Nasha Mukti Abhiyan
3. 2.35 Lakh Awareness Events Organised Across J&K
4. Properties Worth Crores Seized from Drug Cartels
5. 300 Driving Licences and 400 Vehicle Registrations Recommended for Cancellation
6. 150 Drug Store Licences Suspended After Inspections
7. 3,000 CCTV Cameras Installed in Medical Shops
8. Two New Initiatives Launched: Community Immunization Programme and Family Fortress Initiative
9. Nearly 3,000 Tele-MANAS Calls Received for Counselling

“I urge schools, mosques, temples, gurdwaras and NGOs to dedicate one hour every week to strengthening this initiative through awareness activities. It will deliver tangible results by acting as an early warning system, monitoring hotspots and transforming them into completely drug-free zones,” he said.

Explaining the second pillar, the Lieutenant Governor said that the Family Fortress Initiative will draw upon strong family and community bonds to serve as the ultimate shield against drug addiction.

“Over the next 69 days, every school, college and place of worship in Jammu and Kashmir should host a weekly family dialogue on drugs. These discussions must be open and honest and should be accompanied by local campaign audits to identify and address gaps,” he said.

The lieutenant governor said that more than 2.35 lakh awareness and outreach events have been organised across Jammu and Kashmir over the past 31 days. During this period, over 44,000 OPD patients were treated and nearly 700 drug smugglers and peddlers arrested.

“Action has targeted every financial transaction linked to drug cartels. Properties worth crores, built from drug money by major smugglers, have been seized. In both the Jammu and Kashmir divisions, cancellation of 300 driving licences and more than 400 vehicle registrations linked to drug traffickers has been recommended,” he said.

The lieutenant governor said enforcement agencies have seized large quantities of narcotics. More than 3,300 drugstores were inspected, and 150 licences were suspended for violating prescribed norms.

“Nearly 3,000 CCTV cameras have now been installed in drug stores across the Union Territory. More than two dozen smugglers have been booked under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. I assure the people that we will track every rupee, every asset and every shell company linked to drug traffickers and ensure the harshest punishment for those destroying the future of our youth,” he said.

The Lieutenant Governor said that, driven by overwhelming public support, this people’s movement is setting historic benchmarks in Jammu and Kashmir and that no previous social campaign has witnessed such massive participation.

“We have received nearly 3,000 calls on Tele-MANAS for counselling and support during the past 31 days. Our response to drug addiction must be rooted in science. We do not shame diabetes patients into recovery, nor do we treat cancer through stigma. Similarly, addicts must be treated and rehabilitated with dignity and compassion and reintegrated into the mainstream of society,” he said.

He called upon government officials and citizens to work together to strengthen surveillance, intensify the fight against drugs, and build drug-free villages and towns across Jammu and Kashmir.