Ludhiana | Cops ferret out drug addicts through door-to-door campaign, offer counselling, treatment

Crime Investigation Agency (CIA, Staff -2,Ludhiana) in-charge inspector Beant Juneja said, “Apart from cracking down on peddlers, we are also tracing drug addicts to convince them to seek counselling, treatment and shake the drug habit.”

Leading the proverbial horse to water, cops are carrying out a door-to-door campaign to ferret out drug addicts, not to seize contraband or jail them, but to offer counselling and de-addiction treatment.

Kin of drug addicts who were offered counselling by the police officials to shun drugs reached CIA staff 2 to pay gratitude to the police in Ludhiana. (HT PHOTO)

Most of the addicts told police personnel that they had been introduced to drugs by their friends, and that they ‘suffered weakness’ if they stopped taking drugs.

Crime Investigation Agency (CIA, Staff -2) in-charge inspector Beant Juneja said, “Apart from cracking down on peddlers, we are also tracing addicts to convince them to seek treatment and shake the drug habit.”

Three men from well-to-do families aged between 25-30 years, who suffer from an addiction to drugs, were counselled on Thursday.

“The addicts were residents of Jamalpur and Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar. They had been consuming drugs for one-and-a-half year. One of them said that he had initially taken heroin just for the experience, but later became addicted to it, another said he was told that drugs would improve his refractory period (a period immediately following stimulation during which a nerve or muscle is unresponsive to further stimulation),”said Juneja.

The men admitted to spending ₹500- ₹700 a day on drugs.

Assistant commissioner of police (ACP, crime) Harbhinder Bhalla said, “During the door-to-door campaign, we are advising parents to keep a tab on their children’s activities, and alert us if they have developed a drug habit. We will help them avail treatment.”

2 held with 30g heroin

Two men were arrested with 60g heroin on Thursday. Police also seized ₹30,000 and impounded their car, which was being used to supply the contraband.

The accused are Ashu Mehta, 30, of Parkash Colony and Sukhdeep Singh, 28, of Urban Estate Focal Point. Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) in-charge inspector Beant Juneja said, “Acting on a tip-off, a checkpoint was installed at the T-Point in Kulewal, Jamalpur. The accused would procure heroin from Zira and then supply it to their customers in Ludhiana.”

A case was registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Ashu is already facing two cases, including attempt to murder, while Sukhdeep also has a drug case registered against him in Himachal Pradesh. Both the accused are addicted to drugs.