Amid curfew Bathinda villages launch war on drugs

Amid curfew in state to stop further spread of coronavirus, villagers of Bathinda district have launched war on drugs as well.

Amid curfew in state to stop further spread of coronavirus, villagers of Bathinda district have launched war on drugs as well.

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Residents are resorting to putting up checkposts at entry points of the villages to stop suspected people from getting in to stop spread of coronavirus and drug smuggling.

In the last 24 hours, at least four videos have emerged on the social media where villagers claimed to have apprehended drug suppliers and addicts.

In a video from Bandi village, on Friday, at least eight persons were apprehended by residents for alleged drug consumption and supply. The accused can be seen confessing that they came to purchase drugs.

In another video from Mansa Kalan village under Maur police station, villagers apprehended a Punjab Police cop and two others for allegedly trying to purchase drugs.

In yet another video from Kaleke village near Rampura Phul, a man was apprehended by villagers for allegedly supplying drugs. A similar video emerged from Bhunder village where people claimed that a man in civvies (who is actually a Punjab Police cop) and his associates are involved in supplying drugs.

Bathinda senior superintendent of police Nanak Singh said that people in the video from Bandi village are addicts and had come to purchase drugs. A case has been registered under the NDSP Act against the supplier and apprehended people in the video.

Regarding the video from Mansa Kalan village, the SSP said that a case under NDPS Act has been registered against head constable Bhupinder Singh and others.

He said that the accused cop is an addict and is being dismissed from service. He claimed that he is unaware of the video from Kaleke village.