Former Mayor Jammu Rajinder Sharma on Monday mounted a sharp attack on enforcement agencies over the growing menace of narco-terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, demanding strict accountability of officials who allegedly failed to curb the spread of drugs across the Union Territory.
Speaking to reporters, Sharma said the rapid expansion of narcotics trade into towns, villages and educational institutions could not have taken place without “serious negligence and internal support” within the system.
He alleged that while drug peddlers are now being identified and arrested, the role of officers who handled enforcement operations during the peak rise of the drug network must also come under scrutiny.
The former Mayor welcomed the ongoing demolition of properties allegedly built using proceeds from narcotics trade, but asserted that action against drug mafia alone would not be enough unless officials accused of shielding such networks are also investigated.
Narco networks did not spread across Jammu and Kashmir overnight. Properties of those within the system who failed to prevent the rise of narco-terrorism over the decades should also be identified and demolished, said former Mayor Jammu Rajinder Sharma.
Questioning the delay in launching an aggressive crackdown, Sharma said the administration must explain why timely intervention was missing when the drug menace was gradually tightening its grip over J&K.
Describing drug addiction as a “silent social disaster” which consumed lives of nearly 1 lakh youth, he strongly demanded establishment of de-addiction and rehabilitation centres in every Panchayat, saying thousands of families have suffered due to unstoppable substance abuse and rising youth addiction in the region.