The 14th UT-level Narco Coordination Centre meeting, chaired by the Chief Secretary, couldn’t have come at a more crucial juncture. With the menace of narcotic drug abuse tightening its grip on J&K’s youth, the CS’s pointed emphasis on the quality of investigation in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances cases rightly identifies the single most critical factor determining conviction or acquittal. Behind every conviction is a chain of solid evidence, painstaking inquiry, and adherence to procedural rigour. And behind every acquittal often lies a preventable lapse-a missed witness, a tainted seizure, or a procedural oversight. Despite the NDPS Act being one of the most stringent laws on the statute book-incorporating layers of checks such as the presence of independent witnesses, gazetted officers during seizures, and rigorous documentation-conviction rates remain abysmally low. The intention behind these safeguards is noble: to prevent misuse of power and to ensure only the guilty are punished. However, these very checks have become loopholes when not followed diligently, leading to acquittals on technical grounds, even in cases where the guilt is beyond moral doubt.
The Chief Secretary’s directive to scrutinise bail and acquittal cases for lapses in investigation and prosecution is a much-needed intervention. This is not just a legal issue; it’s a social crisis. Every acquittal due to poor investigation sends a dangerous signal-one that emboldens traffickers and demoralises law enforcement. The conviction rate in NDPS cases is dismal, and that’s not just a statistic-it’s a reflection of systemic failure. The cycle is vicious and predictable: arrest, bail, and re-entry into the drug trade. Breaking this cycle demands fixing the weakest link-investigation. That means better-trained investigators, strict internal accountability, faster forensic support, and, crucially, regular monitoring of case progress. The CS’s call for monthly status reports from the police is a step in the right direction.
Moreover, as the Director General of Police noted, traffickers are constantly innovating-using courier services and possibly even other delivery channels to stay one step ahead. Law enforcement must now evolve from reactive policing to predictive, tech-aided strategies. Courier services, logistics chains, and even digital payments need to be regulated without infringing on privacy. Intelligence inputs, interagency collaboration, and data analytics must become everyday tools in the fight.
However, law enforcement alone cannot shoulder the entire burden. It is true that the primary onus lies with J&K Police, but the ecosystem of accountability and action must include civil administration, judiciary, health services, community leaders, and most importantly, families.
Equally urgent is the need to strengthen the drug de-addiction infrastructure as the number of addicts balloons, and Government-run de-addiction centres are overstretched and under-resourced. Private centres, though helpful, are inaccessible to most. De-addiction is not just about detoxification; it is a long-term process requiring trained counsellors, psychologists, rehabilitation plans, and strong community support. Without medical supervision and continuous counselling, relapse is almost inevitable. The Chief Secretary’s direction to scale up inpatient facilities in Government hospitals reflects this understanding-now it must be backed with funds, recruitment, and policy push.
Let there be no illusion-the drug epidemic in J&K is not a slow poison anymore; it is a wildfire. And every delay in action is allowing it to spread further into schools, colleges, mohallas, and even rural areas, once thought immune.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
