In the last 18 months, more than 80% of drugs seized in Jammu and Kashmir were smuggled in from Pakistan.

A disaster is brewing in the mountains of Jammu. Hundreds of young men and women from Udhampur, Jammu City and other parts of the region have slipped into the dark alleys of heroin addiction as groups in Pakistan are doing here what they did in Punjab years ago, an India Today TV ground report has revealed.

It's a sinister design to ruin the next generation and escalate criminal and terror activities, accounts from busy markets and crowded neighbourhoods have shown. Sachin (name changed) and his elder brother picked up the deadly drug because of its "cool quotient" and peer push.

"My friend introduced me to a peddler from a nearby shop. We tried it for a few days. Soon, we got addicted. My body aches and burns when I feel the urge. My only focus is to buy heroin at any cost. I am prepared to steal and intimidate," said the 23-year-old, his voice shivering due to the drug's impact.

He attempted to stop heroin but soon relapsed into addiction as drug peddlers are always around. "I did not take the drug in the past 24 hours. I often try to stop but it's not easy. I urge the J&K government to subsidise expensive medicines like it has been done in Punjab. I want to recover and end my and my family's suffering," he said.

Their father lost his life savings on treatment. A flourishing business is ruined, leaving the family in a debt of over Rs 10 lakh.

"My business is bankrupt and I am on the verge of selling our house. We have spent more than Rs 70 lakh on their treatment, to no avail. My wife and I cry during the night, fearing our boys may die of an overdose," said the distraught father.

"There are constant tensions and fights at home. Sons demand money for drugs. From where will I get the money when there is hardly any even for food? I urge the government to help us out," he said.

Fights turn violent in most households in Jammu and Udhampur when young addicts feel an uncontrollable urge. A woman at a police station, holding an application for help, was crying inconsolably. Her 18-year-old son had beaten her demanding money for drugs.

In another case, a brother-sister duo has started to drop out of college. Their parents acknowledge that children are consumed by addiction but are apprehensive to reach out to a rehabilitation centre to protect their identity and avoid being disowned by relatives.

Drug mafia threats also keep families from seeking help. Many families refused to speak on the record. Local residents accepted they are fast losing the next generation in the region to the drug menace.

THE ROUTE CHANGE

In the last 18 months, more than 80 per cent of drugs seized in Jammu and Kashmir were smuggled in from Pakistan, also for narco-terrorism, a recent Mail Today report said. Only 20 to 25 per cent of drugs being smuggled into J&K came from Punjab, while the rest were being pumped in from across the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB).

Officials said the Ramban-Banihal National Highway, one of the two road links between Kashmir and mainland India, has turned into a major route for the drug mafia that has connections to Pakistan-based smugglers. This is after the Border Security Force (BSF) and the local police cut off heroin supply lines into Punjab.

Terror groups are also using infiltration routes in IB and LoC in the Jammu region with the backing of Pakistan's ISI and Army, another recent Mail Today report said. This is happening due to increased vigilance in Kashmir Valley.

In April, the Centre suspended trade with Pakistan-occupied J&K after reports of the routes being misused by Pakistan-based elements for pushing illegal weapons, narcotics and fake currency.

THE POLICE ACTION

"The drug is sent by Pakistan and then transported into states and districts. We carry out coercive and corrective measures. Trucks from Kashmir Valley going towards Punjab or Jammu are stopped, checked and seized if required. Many FIRs have been filed and seizures made," said Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Udhampur, Rajiv Pandey.

"We have also started de-addiction centres. We appeal to people to approach us if they face any problem. We assure they will be treated as victims," he said.

Cops maintain that in smaller towns, responses at de-addiction centres remain poor as patients fear being ostracised.

Awareness campaigns are being run both in Udhampur and Jammu City via banners and media platforms, but more doctors are required at these centres, sources said.

There is no official data yet to grasp the gravity of the drug menace in the state.

DE-ADDICTION DRIVE

Meanwhile, there is hope amid dark clouds as cops are organising awareness programmes for young addicts.

A de-addiction centre set up by the J&K Police in Jammu City is flooded with patients. Seventeen of the 20 beds remain full at all times, reflecting constant arrivals of addicts willing to recover. "Say no to drugs" posters are pasted on walls and across premises.

"I was a sales marketing official and my whole salary would be spent on buying drugs. I got admitted to this centre because I want to regain my reputation and end the shame my parents are forced to face. The death of my 18-year-old cousin due to overdose was a wake-up call," said a 22-year-old resident of Udhampur, recovering at the deaddiction centre. Young men were seen working out, playing sports and reading books within the premises.

BAD RECOVERY RATE

However, the recovery rate is abysmal as most head back to the same lanes where peddlers thrive. "I used to buy heroin for Rs 4,000 a gram and consume half of it each day. In Srinagar, drugs can be cheaper, while in Jammu City they are expensive. I do not even trust cops as I feel they are also involved sometimes," said a 38-year-old resident of Jammu.

"But at this centre, I feel better. I came here 15 days ago. We want to now return to our family and start afresh. But, will society accept us?" asked the father of two.

COUNSELLORS' ROLE

Counsellors have a big crisis to manage. "We admit patients only when they are willing to recover as we do not force anyone to stay here. A data is compiled to keep checks on arrivals and track recovery of addicts," said Manpreet Kour, coordinator at de-addiction centre in Jammu.

The treatment is free of cost. One has to pay only for food. Security men ensure no stranger is permitted inside, though a family member is registered as a guardian and kept in the loop. The centre is only for men, for now.

"Our aim is to listen to them and analyse what pushed them into addiction. We try to bring hope and responsibility into them. We use techniques and medication to help them recover," said Aneesha Dhar, counsellor at the de-addiction centre.

Pakistani drugs propaganda in Jammu and Kashmir is wreaking havoc in the lives of youngsters. @PoojaShali tells us how the young lives are being affected.#ITVideo



More Videos: https://t.co/Nounxo6IKQ pic.twitter.com/oRR73hgB1Z India Today (@IndiaToday) June 6, 2019





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