3,475 people arrested in drive against addiction in MP

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan ordered a special drive against addiction after former chief minister Uma Bharti started a de-addiction campaign in the state

Published on: Oct 10, 2022, 19:08:49 IST

By Shruti Tomar

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The Madhya Pradesh police have closed all hookah lounges in the state and arrested 3,475 people during a two-day special drive against addiction of drugs, liquor and other prohibited substances, the state’s director general of police (DGP) said on Monday.

The Madhya Pradesh police conducted a two-day special drive against addiction of drugs, liquor and other prohibited substances in the state. (Representative Image)

The drive was initiated on the directions of chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who issued instructions during a review meeting last month.

“As many as 200 people have been arrested in 189 cases under the NDPS Act. Police arrested 2,586 for illicit sale of liquor and another 361 were arrested for consuming liquor at public places, while 362 booked for drunk driving,” said DGP Sudhir Saxena.Police raided at least 4,158 bars and hookah lounges.

Chief minister Chouhan appreciated the effort and said the drive should continue as drug addiction cannot be tolerated in MP.

Chouhan ordered the drive after former chief minister Uma Bharti started a de-addiction campaign. Earlier, she threw stones on some licensed liquor shops to stop consumption of liquor.

MP Congress president Kamal Nath said, “This is nothing but a drama before poll. The BJP-led state government should answer who is patronising this addiction business. Unlike them, we believe in real work ad we will make a committee to run a de-addiction campaign.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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