4 deaths due to drug overdose rile villagers

Tarn Taran, July 18

Residents of Jaur Singh Wala village falling under Patti sub-division have expressed resentment over the death of four persons due to drug overdose in the last three weeks. The residents are planning to take to the streets to express their resentment. SSP Ashwani Kapur who visited the village on Thursday tried to pacify the agitated villagers.

SSP Kapur after his visit to the village said that Surjit Singh (25) died after being injected with drugs on Wednesday. The SSP said that the Sadar Police, Patti, have registered a case under Section 105 and 3 (5) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against two persons of the same village who administered the injection to Surjit Singh. The police officer said that the arrested person has been identified as Bikkar Singh while his associate Mandeep Singh Mani was absconding. The police are conducting raids at his possible hide-outs.

The villagers expressed their resentment saying that drugs were easily available in the villages and it was in the notice of the police, civil administration and leaders of the ruling party. But leaders of the ruling party never came to express their sympathy with the affected people fearing their ire, they said.

A study has found that it was an area from where drugs were easily available. The addicts often stole whatever they could lay their hands on and it had disturbed the normal life in the area.