SRINAGAR, May 13 : Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday participated in the ‘Nasha-Mukt Jammu Kashmir Campaign’ padyatra in Kupwara and addressed a public gathering, describing the ongoing anti-drug drive as a “people’s revolution” against narcotics.
He said that over the past 32 days, the civil and police administration had dealt a major blow to the drug smuggling network, claiming that properties worth crores had been seized, assets confiscated, and passports of 15 smugglers recommended for cancellation. He also stated that over 730 drug smugglers and peddlers have been arrested so far.
Sinha said the campaign, which began in April, had evolved into a mass movement with participation from villages, towns, schools, and colleges across Jammu and Kashmir.
Calling drugs and terrorism interlinked threats, the Lieutenant Governor said both were “two heads of the same snake,” alleging that drug money was being used to fund terror activities.
He further said that 28 drug smugglers had been arrested in Kupwara and Handwara, and directed police and anti-narcotics teams to ensure strict action against all offenders, especially in border areas.
The LG also directed police stations in Kupwara to compile detailed lists of drug smugglers and intensify action within the next 60 days, urging zero tolerance against narcotics networks.
At the same time, he stressed the need for rehabilitation, saying drug addicts should be treated as victims and supported through counselling and treatment to bring them back into the mainstream.
He urged citizens to actively participate in awareness campaigns and encouraged officials to respond promptly to complaints through helplines and the Manas portal.
Challenging critics of the anti-drug campaign, Sinha said no innocent person had been targeted and asserted that strict action would continue against drug traffickers.
He also warned that the crackdown on drug networks would intensify in the coming days, adding that local testimonies had revealed how drug money was used to fuel violence and terrorism.
On the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor also unveiled trophies for the Kupwara Forest League and a volleyball championship under the anti-drug campaign and felicitated winners of a reel-making competition on drug abuse awareness.
