LG Sinha warns of stern action against drug network links during Shopian Padyatra

Srinagar, May 23 (UNI) Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday issued a stern warning against the drug menace, asserting that anyone in public life found linked to or supporting narcotics networks would face strict legal action.
Sinha said this as he joined the ‘Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir Padyatra’ in Shopian district where people pledged to root out narco-terrorism from every corner of the union Territory.
Addressing the gathering, the Lieutenant Governor said this collective resolve heralds the dawn of a new era.
“From every lane and by‑lane of UT, voices are rising in unison, demanding that not a single drug smuggler be spared. What began 43 days ago in Jammu has now surged into a powerful grassroots movement, echoing across communities with unstoppable force,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
The Lieutenant Governor stated that united by a single purpose and a common goal, millions across Jammu Kashmir are determined to eradicate narcotics‑terrorism from this land of paradise.
“It is now firmly etched in the minds of our people that this is not a distant issue but a challenge confronting us at our very doorstep, one we must face head‑on with courage and resolve,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor observed that “the poison of drugs is diverting our youth from the path of progress. He said terrorist groups use proceeds from drugs to buy weapons, and with those weapons the blood of ordinary Kashmiris is being spilled.”
“Today I want to state unequivocally: whether an official or anyone in public life, if they are in any way connected to the drug network or lend it support, they will face strict legal consequences. I assure the people that if even the slightest trace of this infection has seeped into our system, it will be mercilessly cut out without hesitation,” the Lieutenant governor said.
The Lieutenant Governor said that by destroying the lives of our children, thousands of smugglers and narco-terrorists have built their own dark fiefdoms. He said each brick of that sordid realm is being pulled down. The cup of suffering borne by the people at the hands of drug smugglers has overflowed; their collective cry of “no more” has risen into an unstoppable roar. He further stated that every drug sold in our towns and villages is like a bullet pressed against the chest of the people.
“Wherever drug smugglers and drug traffickers take root, their first victims are our youth. I know that many parents across Jammu Kashmir live under this shadow of fear, constantly worried that their family could be the next target. We must banish that fear completely and ensure safety for every household in the union Territory,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
The Lieutenant Governor also highlighted that more than 7,000 women’s committees have been formed in Jammu Kashmir and it is now the administration’s duty to empower these committees and ensure they can work effectively.
In the past 43 days, 797 FIRs have been registered and 894 drug smugglers and peddlers have been sent behind bars. 59 traffickers have been arrested under PIT‑NDPS provisions. 81 narcotic palaces built with the traffickers’ black money have been demolished. 101 immovable properties have been attached and seized. Other assets worth crores have been attached. 457 driving licenses have been suspended. Recommendations have been made to cancel passports of 22 smugglers and to cancel registrations of 606 vehicles. Large quantities of drugs have been seized. About 5,641 drug stores were inspected; licenses of 268 stores were suspended or cancelled, and FIRs filed against 6 drug stores.
A comprehensive rehabilitation policy is also being prepared. The Lieutenant Governor said that the aim is not only to free addicted youth through de‑addiction programs but also to reintegrate them into the mainstream by providing employment and jobs.