Kot Khalsa residents spur cops to crack down on drug peddlers

PK Jaiswar

Amritsar, June 19

After a video showing residents of Kot Khalsa confronting a bunch of drug addicts in the area started doing the rounds on social media, the local police soon swung into action.

In the clip which has since gone viral, the residents could be seen pressing a daily wage worker who ekes out a living with a measly Rs 500 every day Kishan Singh of Kot Khalsa area on how he had procured drugs. The cops took preventive action against Kishan while they let some other youths off with a slap on the wrist. The woman that Kishan had purchased drugs from has been identified as Mahinder Kaur of Hargobind Nagar in Kot Khalsa. The police raided the house of the woman, who remains at large. Some sources have revealed that the suspect is the mother-in-law of a one-time councillor. Sub Inspector Palwinder Singh said efforts to nab her are under way. He also added that over 24 FIRs had already been registered in the area in connection with drug peddling.

Local residents have complained that drug addiction runs rampant in the area and that the police have failed to nail the traffickers. They also rued that drugs are easily available in the area right behind the police chowki.

Some residents have taken the matter into their own hands by recently nabbing a number of drug addicts, and letting them off with a stern warning to not venture into the area looking for drugs again. Some of the youths happen to be migrants.

The situation grew tense last evening when an irate group of local residents gathered outside the Kot Khalsa chowki, in a bid to stage a demonstration there. Islamabad Police Station SHO Mohit Kumar had to rush to the spot to mollify the mob.

He told the residents to alert the police if they catch wind of any instance of drug peddling in the area. He assured them that the police would investigate the matter thoroughly, ascertain the facts and take further action accordingly.

SHO assures locals of action

• The situation grew tense last evening when an irate group of local residents gathered outside the Kot Khalsa chowki, in a bid to stage a demonstration there
• Islamabad Police Station SHO Mohit Kumar told the residents to alert the police if they catch wind of any instance of drug peddling in the area