Alleging police inaction, women wage war on drug menace at Bathinda village

Sameer Singh

Bathinda, May 14

Women of Chak Fateh Singhwala village at Bhucho in Bathinda district have been sitting on a dharna over drug menace near the village bus stand for the past over two weeks. Women have accused the police and administration of inaction.

They along with a village-committee constituted to counter drug menace recently caught 11 peddlers and handed them over to the police.

However, protesting women rue the unabated supply of drugs, mostly heroin, in the village. Notably, it is the village of MLA Master Jagsir Singh.

Sukhjit Kaur, a resident, said: “Half of village teenagers had fallen prey to drugs.” Baljit Kaur, another resident, said: “Drugs are being sold and bought openly. After we started this agitation, the peddlers have started issuing threats, warning us of dire consequences. What are the police doing to stop them?”

Deputy Commissioner Showkat Ahmad Parray said: “We are devising a strategy to catch the big fish involved in drug trade.” Bhucho Mandi MLA Jagsir Singh said: “There is no drug menace in our village. Some people want to tarnish image of my village.”