Amid serious deliberations going on in the Punjab government on the need for a sympathetic view towards those caught with drugs meant for personal use, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report for 2022 reveals that persons arrested with drugs for personal consumption have remained a large focus of the state governments.
The NCRB data that nearly 40% cases registered by Punjab Police in 2022 under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act were against those caught with drugs meant for personal consumption.
According to the data, the state registered 12,442 NDPS cases, of which 5,009 were against those in possession of drugs for personal use. The remaining 7,433 cases were in connection with possession of drugs for trafficking.
The NCRB data for 2021 reveals that nearly 42% of NDPS cases registered by Punjab Police were against those carrying drugs for personal use.
Punjab topped the nation in cases under the NDPS Act for both these years as far in term of cases per lakh population. The ratio rose 32.8% in 2021 to 40.7% in 2022.
The numbers present a major concern for the state as under successive governments, the Punjab Police had been claiming of breaking the backbone of drug supply by registering maximum number of cases.
{{/usCountry}}The numbers present a major concern for the state as under successive governments, the Punjab Police had been claiming of breaking the backbone of drug supply by registering maximum number of cases.
{{/usCountry}}Concerns are being raised on arresting addicts by state health and family welfare minister Dr Balbir Singh, who is advocating for going soft on those caught with small quantities meant for self-consumption. He contends the state should focus on their treatment rather than putting them behind bars.
“I wont go into the figures by the NCRB. I am of the strong view that we need to look upon the addicts with focus on their treatment, and not on penalising them. The approach may have been of booking the addicts and it might have yielded results as well, but I think we need to treat them as patients and not criminals. We have started multiple initiatives to treat the addicts, such as yoga, recreational activities and skill development. It will take some time for the results to show,” Dr Balbir Singh said.
The minister advocated for decriminalising possession of small quantities of drugs and said those caught with such amounts should be sent to de-addiction centres, and not jails.
After health minister’s perusal, the police has announced to implement Section 64 (A) of the NDPS Act that provides immunity from prosecution of addicts who voluntarily undergo treatment for de-addiction.
NDPS cases rise by 24% in first year of AAP govt
The figures show that in 2022, the first year of the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, the cases being registered under the NDPS Act rose by nearly 24%, as compared to 2021, when the Congress was in power. The outcome has strengthened claims that the major focus of the police has been on the war against drugs.
The state saw an increase in participation of women in crimes, with number of women arrested in 2022 increasing by 1% as compare to 2021, revealed fresh NCRB report.
According to the report, 10,079 persons were arrested for various crimes in the state in 2022, of which 6,048 (nearly 6%) were women. Whereas in 2021, of 10,0415 accused arrested, 5,833, nearly 5%, were women.
Of 92 cases registered under the Emigration Act in the nation in 2022, 74 were registered in Punjab.