A very painful incident has come to light from Pandori locality in Sultanpur Lodhi situated in Kapurthala where the story raises serious questions about the ground reality of the government’s claims of a “war against drugs” in Punjab.
In Pandori locality a mother has already lost four of her five sons due to drug addiction in the past few years and now her fifth and last son is also in critical condition. Doctors have reportedly said that there is very little hope left as his body has been badly damaged by drugs.
The grieving mother said “I had five sons and drugs have taken away four of them and now the fifth one is also lying on the bed and even doctors have given up,” she adds that for the past three days no food has been cooked in her house.
This is not just one family’s story as many other women in the area have also shared similar pain and some have lost two or three sons while others say their only earning family member has become addicted to drugs.
Local women have made serious allegations and claim that drugs especially ‘chitta’ (heroin) are still being sold openly in the area and according to them smugglers come on motorcycles with their faces covered hand over drug packets and leave without fear. They also claim that that this is all happening very close to the police station.
Residents say drug addiction has badly affected the area and many young men are selling household items just to buy drugs and this is leading to families breaking and the social condition of the locality is getting worse.
Police officials from the Sultanpur Lodhi police station reached the spot however locals allege that instead of taking strict action they were told to come together and catch the drug sellers themselves and police on the other hand said that patrolling in the area has been increased.