Drug menace scaling new heights, 'chitta' use widespread in Palampur

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, December 27

Drug menace is scaling new heights in Palampur and its adjoining areas. Poor surveillance by state agencies and lack of awareness about its repercussions has made the matter worse.

The youths in rural areas are steadily falling prey to drug abuse and facing its harmful consequences. Nearly half a dozen youth have died in recent time because of overdose of drugs. However, most of the deaths have gone unreported probably in view of social stigma.

During various raids conducted by police, a number of arrest of drug peddlers have been made in Palampur, Baijnath, Bhawarna, Paprola, Jaisinghpur and its adjoining areas in past one year but the situation has remained the same. Rather, drug peddling has flourished in the area. Most of the drugs to Kangra valley are flowing in from Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.

It has emerged that “chitta”, new lifestyle chemical drug, has become a craze among the youths. “Chitta” (a white powder drug) is an extract of opium and is laced with synthetic drugs. It is cheaper than heroin.

In the Palampur, Baijnath, Jaisinghpur and Thural areas, dozens of youth have become drug addicts and are suffering from various disease or confined to beds. Father of one of the drug addicts said that his son, who was working in a village shop, became a drug addict. He had to spend over Rs 3 lakh on his treatment but in vain. He also took him to a drug addiction centre for treatment but it demanded Rs 65,000 for six-month treatment. As he was unable to pay the heavy amount he returned back. He said there are many such youths in the villages who fell prey to drug abuse.

Talking to The Tribune, Kangra SP Khushal Sharma said ‘chitta’ addiction among the youth had emerged a major challenge before the police as far as the psychotropic drugs were concerned.

However, in the past few months under initiative of the Director General of Police, state agencies have changed strategy to break the organised network of criminals running the illicit drug trafficking racket. The police are investigating the source and destination of these consignments along with financial investigations so that the properties and bank deposits of the key accused can be seized.