Jammu and Kashmir has drawn a firm line against drugs. Launched by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on April 11, the Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir Abhiyaan has, in just 51 days, become the Union Territory’s strongest crackdown yet—resulting in 923 FIRs, 1,018 arrests, and 55 traffickers detained under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.PIT-NDPS Act. The enforcement drive has also seen the cancellation of 668 driving licenses and recommendations to revoke 124 passports.
The campaign, a brainchild of Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, is backed by communities across J&K and has helped in dismantling the drug trade at its roots across the UT. On the 51st day of the drive, the LG participated in a massive pad yatra at South Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
Addressing a huge rally in Kulgam, the Lieutenant Governor said that 51 days ago, the people of Jammu and Kashmir kindled a spark of change. With massive public participation, that spark has now become a fierce flame of hope, courage, and resolve.
“This people’s movement has connected every heart across Jammu and Kashmir with a shared purpose: to make their village, their town, drug-free. This campaign belongs to the people. Parents, teachers, religious leaders, and young volunteers have stood shoulder to shoulder with the administration. The road ahead is long. The fight against drugs will take sustained effort, constant alertness, and unity,” the LG said.
Striking at financial backbone of terrorism
The Lieutenant Governor stated that this campaign is striking directly at the financial backbone of terrorism. “Every rupee spent on drugs fuels extremist violence, and narco-terrorists survive on that blood money. By halting the drug trade, we cut off the lifeline that sustains terror networks,” Sinha said.
“I want the people of Jammu and Kashmir to remember that this is not only a public health struggle, but also a fight for national security. When we choke off drug smuggling, we weaken those who seek to destabilize our nation, spill the blood of innocent people of J&K, and divert our youth from the path of progress.”
He noted that for many years, Jammu and Kashmir endured attacks on society by narco-terrorists. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the guidance of Home Minister Amit Shah, the Nasha-Mukt Bharat Initiative, launched in 2020, marked the turning point.
“In 2021, I pledged a fear-free and drug-free Jammu and Kashmir so that the shadows of drugs and terror that once loomed over our youth can be banished entirely,” Sinha added. “I can say with confidence today that the chains that once trapped our youth in the dark web of drugs are breaking apart, link by link, day by day.”
Supply chain disruption and rehabilitation
The Lieutenant Governor emphasized that the fight against drugs is not limited to raids, FIRs, and arrests. The strategy is moving toward a holistic model of disruption and recovery.
“The administration is also working to break the supply chain, generate public awareness, and ensure dignified rehabilitation for those suffering from addiction,” Sinha said. “We will ensure our youth are freed from the grip of addiction, return to the mainstream of society, and become the strength that will lead Jammu and Kashmir toward a brighter tomorrow.”
