High on drugs, locals struggle to stand: With sudden rise in cases, is 'Udta Punjab' remake on the way?

The issue of drug menace in Punjab is by no means new. Several governments in the past have tried their hand at tackling the issue that has often weighed heavy on both the government’s performance and that of the state itself. This past week, the Punjab drug problem was highlighted yet again after several videos of people struggling with drug abuse have surfaced on social media.

Last week, a video of a young woman was widely shared on Twitter. In the video, the young woman can be seen in the middle of the road in Punjab’s Maqboolpura area, totally unaware of her own actions, struggling to take two steps forward. The woman is spotted looking all around, but seems totally helpless in a complete daze. The Maqboolpura locality is notorious for issues with drug abuse and is known for easy availability of over the shelf drugs.

Another video that has gone viral shows yet another similar incident. This video, allegedly from Amritsar, shows a man desperately trying to make sense of what is happening around him, but failing. Suspected to be under the influence of drugs, the man is seen struggling to stand up.

The videos are a stark reminder of the realities of the drug issue in Punjab, playing out in the open. In 2021, Punjab topped the list of crime rate (per lakh population) with respect to cases lodged under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances or NDPS Act, according to the data released by the National Crime Records Bureau or NCRB earlier this year.

According to the report, Punjab recorded 32.8% crime rate (per lakh population) in 2021, highest in the country. Punjab has topped this list in the past as well. Even though Punjab reported the highest cases per lakh population, it remained third when it comes to overall FIRs filed under NDPS.

The Punjab Governor recently addressed the drug menace issue and said that after colleges, drugs had permeated into schools as well. Banwarilal Purohit said, “Nowadays, schoolchildren are also developing a drug addiction, which is dangerous. To curb the drug menace, we must fortify the six vulnerable border districts of Punjab, which is only possible through public support. The common man should also be vigilant to foil the designs of the enemy, especially smuggling of contraband through drones.”