To curb drug menace, Kangra police turn to tourism stakeholders
While 149 cases were registered under the NDPS Act in the entire previous year, this year, Kangra police have already registered around 66 cases till March 17, indicating a rising trend in drug abuse.
Amid a surge in drug-related cases in the region, Kangra police have enlisted the support of tourism stakeholders to enhance vigilance and curb the drug menace in Dharamshala.
While 149 cases were registered under the NDPS Act in the entire previous year, this year, Kangra police have already registered around 66 cases till March 17, indicating a rising trend in drug abuse. Given the alarming increase in drug-related offenses across the state, Kangra police have also stepped up their efforts and intensified surveillance in past few months.
In a recent meeting with hotel association and taxi union in McLeodganj, police officials invited suggestions and urged them to work in close coordination with the department. The meeting, chaired by Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Hitesh Lakhanpal, was attended by representatives from the Tibetan Women’s Welfare Association, the Tibetan Settlement Officer, adventure tour operators, and local municipal councillors. Of the 66 cases registered this year, 35 were related to heroin (chitta), involving 60 accused individuals, including five women. Last year, 245 people were accused in NDPS cases, of whom 215 were from Himachal Pradesh, while 30 were non-Himachalis.
Kangra Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Hitesh Lakhanpal said, “We are creating synergy so that all stakeholders can come together on a common platform to combat the drug menace. They need to maintain vigilance on their premises, as many individuals come, stay in hotels, and consume drugs. In many cases, people from outside the state have been found involved, bringing drugs from elsewhere and selling them here. Hotel owners and taxi drivers can play a crucial role in tracking such individuals.”
Sanjeev Gandhi, general secretary of the Hotel and Restaurant Association, Smart City Dharamsala, added, “The objective of the meeting was to eradicate the increasing use of drugs and intoxicants in the area. Stakeholders were invited to provide suggestions for formulating a concrete strategy to counter the issue.”
The hill state is fighting an uphill battle against drugs as cases have seen a sharp rise in recent years. In January, CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said NDPS cases have risen by 340% over the last decade, escalating from approximately 500 cases in 2012 to 2,200 cases in 2023. Additionally, the percentage of cases involving heroin has doubled, rising from 29% in 2020 to 50 % in 2024.
Himachal Pradesh Police has registered 1537 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, in 2024 as compared to 2146 cases registered in 2023 in the state.
