Imams join hands with police in war against drugs

Srinagar:  At a time when drug addiction is becoming a serious worry, Imams have joined hands with police in the war against drugs in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
On Friday, Imams of several mosques in the district delivered sermons to spread awareness among the masses about drug abuse.

“On the initiative of Baramulla Police, more than 100 Imams delivered anti-drug abuse awareness-themed Friday sermons in mosques spread across the length and breadth of Baramulla district. They all vowed to join hands with Baramulla police to make Baramulla a drug-free district,” Senior Superintendent of Police, Baramulla, Amod Nagpure, said in a post on X on Friday evening.

Kashmir has been battling an alarming drug addiction crisis. According to the National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India carried out by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment through the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir has almost one million drug addicts.

As of late, senior officials believe that drug abuse is a bigger challenge for Kashmir than militancy.

In its efforts to combat drug abuse, the police in Baramulla recently organised a one-day anti-drugs conference, which was attended by religious leaders and preachers.

During the conference, Deputy Inspector General of Police, North Kashmir, Vivek Gupta, spoke about the pivotal role of civil societies and religious institutions in combating the scourge of drug addiction within society.

Emphasising the influence of religious leaders, he said they are not only respectable figures but also “our moral compass, guiding us with unwavering devotion along the righteous path of our faith.”

SSP Baramulla stressed the crucial role of religious leaders and civil society in eradicating the use of drugs.

Baramulla Police has already taken significant steps in the war against drugs, with more than 200 cases registered under the NDPS Act, over 300 drug peddlers arrested, and 54 hardcore drug peddlers booked under the PIT NDPS PSA.

The police have also confiscated illegal drug property valued at Rs two crore in Baramulla.
“While these actions are vital, it’s a collective effort involving all stakeholders that will truly lead to a drug-free society,” SSP Nagpure said during the interaction with Imams.
UNI