ASHISHPURI
Two minor brothers, aged 13 and 10, have reportedly fallen prey to drug abuse in Kapurthala, Punjab. A video showing one of the children consuming drugs surfaced online, prompting the police to take action and dispatch a team to their village.
Both children have been admitted to the Civil Hospital in Kapurthala. The incident was reported from Rajpur Jhugian village. According to information available, the children’s father has died, and their mother works as a daily-wage labourer to support the family. Police said the children were brought from their home to the hospital a day earlier.
In the video, one of the boys is seen sitting on a cot, placing a substance on a silver foil, heating it and inhaling the fumes. Both children are reportedly out of school.
The police have arrested the man accused of introducing the children to drugs. He has been identified as Paramjit Singh, a resident of New Shanti Nagar in Hoshiarpur. According to the police, the accused recorded the video of the children consuming drugs, and evidence was recovered from his mobile phone.
The accused reportedly has relatives in the children’s village and frequently visits the area. During these visits, he came into contact with the boys. Police said he allegedly made the children consume drugs on two occasions, including a similar incident 15–20 days ago.
Two days ago, the accused allegedly supplied heroin to the children, made them consume it and recorded a video, which was subsequently circulated online.
The accused also has a criminal record, with several cases registered against him under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, according to the police. He has been remanded to two days of police custody for further investigation.