Four drug overdose deaths in two weeks baffle Bathinda authorities

On average, 22 patients register daily at the outpatient opioid-assisted treatment (OOAT) centres launched in the district in 2018

Four deaths allegedly due to drug overdose in the last two weeks have sent the Bathinda district authorities in a tizzy. The deceased were in their 20s and the bodies were found by the activists of a social organisation from public places in the city.

Family members of Manpreet Singh, who died of drug overdose on August 15, show his portrait in Bathinda on Wednesday. (Sanjeev Kumar/HT)

Police sources said syringes and needles found on or near the bodies pointed to drug abuse. They said it was for the first time in the last several years that so many drug-related deaths were reported from Bathinda city in such a short span. Bathinda senior superintendent of police (SSP) Ajay Maluja said the recent cases have come to his notice and police are looking into the matter.

Health officials said the number could be much higher as most deaths due to substance abuse go unreported.

Official data says, on an average, 22 patients get registered daily at the dedicated outpatient opioid-assisted treatment (OOAT) centres launched by the Punjab government in Bathinda in October 2018.

Dr Arun Bansal, a psychiatrist and in-charge of OOAT programme in Bathinda, said 21,783 drug addicts have been enrolled at eight government centres from October 2018 till July this year. This year till July, the district has recorded 826 new cases whereas, in July 104 people enrolled for de-addiction, he added.

“In more than 50% cases, the patients are hooked to heroin or ‘chitta’. Nearly 65% of the patients at OOAT are in the 17-25 age group. In most cases, the addicts come from the lower-income group and admit to engaging in thefts to fulfil their need for synthetic drugs. Such people need counselling and social support to join the mainstream,” said Bansal.

Sources at Shaheed Bhai Mani Singh Civil Hospital said an average of 3-4 cases of drug overdose are reported daily. A 23-year-old, Amrit Kaur, widow of Manpreet Singh, was inconsolable on Wednesday at her house in Basti number-5 at Bir Talab, located in Bathinda’s vicinity. Body of Manpreet, a flower decoration worker, was found near Ring Road on August 15. He left behind his parents, a widow, and a month-old daughter. Amrit said she was unaware of Manpreet’s dependence on drugs.

“Manpreet’s untimely death has shattered us. He was a hardworking person and we have no idea when he started taking drugs,” Manpreet’s elder brother Gurpreet Singh said.

Another family whose member is struggling to get out of substance abuse said drugs were available easily in the city and peddlers even offer home delivery. “It is impossible that the police are unaware of the drug trade and availability in Bathinda. I have not seen the civil society activists acting as a pressure group on the elected representatives and administrations to curb the nuisance. Drug abuse is severely affecting the Punjabi youth but it becomes an issue only during the elections,” said the parent, requesting anonymity.

Senior superintendent of police Maluja said he would soon chalk out a strategy to handle the growing problem of narcotics.