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Punjab’s war against drugs: Drones drive drug delivery in Ferozepur, Fazilka villages

ByVishal Joshi
Feb 28, 2023 01:49 AM IST

Tendiwala in Ferozepur district is a remote village located a few metres from the Pakistan border. Despite the Border Security Force (BSF) camp in its vicinity, it has several youngsters addicted to chitta or heroin.

Tendiwala (Ferozepur): Tendiwala in Ferozepur district is a remote village located a few metres from the Pakistan border. Despite the Border Security Force (BSF) camp in its vicinity, it has several youngsters addicted to chitta or heroin.

Tendiwala is not an exception. Other remote villages of south Malwa are faced with a similar challenge of rising cases of drug abuse. (HT File Photo)
Tendiwala is not an exception. Other remote villages of south Malwa are faced with a similar challenge of rising cases of drug abuse. (HT File Photo)

“We have a population of about 850 and 15% of them are hooked to drugs. The supply of banned drugs has found its way into a far-off village like ours despite the presence of paramilitary forces in the vicinity. Police have not been able to crack down on the peddlers,” says sarpanch Jangir Singh, citing the easy availability of the drugs in the hinterland.

Families in illegal business

Tendiwala is not an exception. Other remote villages of south Malwa are faced with a similar challenge of rising cases of drug abuse.

Anant Singh of Bathinda’s Har Raipur village says 15 youngsters died due to drug overdose in the past year. “Almost all members of three families in our village, including the elderly and women, are involved in peddling chitta. After the village community got together 10 months ago and approached the police, they suspended work for a few weeks only to get back to business on getting bail,” he says.

Residents in the border districts of Fazilka and Ferozepur say drones from across the border drop heroin in villages and easy money followed by addiction lures youngsters to becoming couriers.

According to Balwinder Singh, the sarpanch of Tiwana Kalan near Jalalabad in Fazilka, “We all know the eight families of our village involved in this illegal trade. Some members were arrested over the past few months, but that has not curtailed supply.”

Referring to security agencies recovering 27kg of heroin, a pistol and ammunition dropped by a Pakistani drone on December 3, Angrej Singh of Fazilka’s Churi Wala Chisti village says, “When a drone drops a consignment involving a huge amount of money, it indicates someone from our village is part of the cross-border smuggling. We are yet to identify the culprit.”

Crackdown on couriers

Ferozepur range deputy inspector general of police (DIG) Ranjit Singh Dhillon says the police acted on tip-offs and cracked down on ‘paandi’ or couriers in Fazilka, Ferozepur and Tarn Taran districts and recovered over 100 kg of heroin over the past year.

“Agents of smugglers pay villagers 1 lakh a kg to smuggle contraband. The range authorities recently announced a similar amount as reward for those informing the police about drones dropping drugs. The police need support from villagers to identify drug couriers and suppliers,” he says.

Admitting to the role of certain policemen being hand in glove with the smugglers, Dhillon says personnel on duty near the border areas for long have been transferred.

“We keep a track of such elements for strict departmental action,” he adds.

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