Sumit Bhargav
Narco-terrorism emanating from smuggling/ narco-trade has now become one of the main national security challenges for India.
The menace of drugs and narcotics addiction seem to be taking an ugly turn in parts of the country where a new dimension of ‘narco-terrorism through cross border smuggling’ is now attached with the addiction and menace of drugs and narcotics.
When proceeds of narco-trade are diverted to nurture terrorism and its various manifestations, this phenomenon is referred to as narco-terrorism. It has become greater threat than terrorism itself, as narco- terrorism not only fuels economy of terrorism, it also devastates lives of citizens, apart from breeding crime syndicates.
Apart from areas along the Indo-Pak border including the Line of Control (LoC), our metro cities, being the main consumption hotspots, face greater brunt.
Trafficking of high value Heroine and other narcotics in such large volume is definitely not meant for local consumption only. It indicates the presence of a wider narcotics trafficking network originating from across LoC.
Not only this, most of the narcotics smuggled under narco-terrorism are found to be of high value nature in terms of cost and an addict of this costly narcotics will have to spend more money to get the same, and there is every possibility that such an addict can resort to unlawful acts and ends up as a puppet in the hands of handlers sitting in their safe havens.
Senior officers of security setup as well as civil administration have already termed it as a new but big challenge for entire society due to its effect on society that too in different aspects and in different quantum.
Narcotics consignment are channelised through Afghanistan via Pakistan with the active connivance of ISI and militants organisations. The LoC and the IB are being leveraged by hostile elements for vitiating peace and tranquility in India. Of late, these instances have seen acute spike in areas like Rajouri & Poonch. There have been several instances where huge amount of cash as well as contrabands have been confiscated. Such instances include recovery of cash from Mendhar (Poonch), Nowshera (Rajouri), and recent confiscation of 31 kgs of heroin from the forward areas of Poonch.
Narcotics are being used for resuscitating militancy. Contrabands are pushed with a purpose i.e. unemployed youths residing along the LoC are lured into this business, gradually they are coaxed to facilitate smuggling of weapons along with narcotics, which invariably, in course of time leads to opening up of fresh infiltration routes for terrorists. Further, the contrabands after being sold in open market, acts as money minting machine for militants, as the proceeds collected from it are re-routed via same channel back for its onward delivery across the LoC. This money is being utilised to sustain terror machinery along the LoC. It is handed over to infiltrating terrorists for their sustenance in Indian territory. And is also used to buy loyalties of gullible unemployed youths residing along the LoC.
The way forward lies in coordinated efforts of all stakeholders including Governments, security forces, civilians, common citizens, de-addiction centres, education institutions, among others. At the Union level, Govt of India needs to highlight these sinister designs of Pakistan at global fora to get Islamabad sanctioned under various UN provisions. At Province level, security forces along with intelligence agencies and all concerned Government departments should redouble their efforts to plug existing as well as potential loopholes and to ensure that things move on professional grounds and legal framework as per laid down norms and are implemented in letter and spirit. Whereas, at Societal level emphatic educational initiatives as well as de-addiction efforts are indispensable.
Alongside all this, the main role is of parents and guardians whose proactive and constructive approach in this evil can bring desirable reduction in this evil in society and can save innocent children as well as youth of society from falling in this trap. Although there are a number of Government agencies and special wings created by Government both at national and state/UT level to specifically act against the peddlers and their handlers but civil cooperation is must in all this.
From timely foiling of narcotics smuggling bids, professional investigation, water tight case and legal proceedings to stern punishments from courts as per laid down norms, the battle against this menace is although a bit lengthy but achievable through coordination between all respective Government departments and with cooperation of civil society.
Together, we all shall work to keep our society and nation safe from this all so that narco-terrorism cannot derail the life of youth of country besides posing a big threat to national security.
(The author is a Journalist)
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