THE arrest of 54 minors over the past 14 months for their involvement in cross-border drug and arms smuggling in Punjab is acutely worrying. It calls for a multi-pronged intervention aimed at addressing the entire gamut of issues plaguing the border districts. The blueprint of piecemeal measures and lopsided development denotes a lack of seriousness in catering to the needs of an area that is literally the first line of defence. A sense of urgency in effecting a transformative change in the lives of border residents has been missing. The consequences have been alarming. Just recently, two minors were caught by the Amritsar police with Pakistan-origin pistols and heroin. Villages near the border in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur and Fazilka districts have emerged as prime targets for recruitment. Families battling poverty and unemployment are being systematically exploited.
Intelligence inputs have consistently warned of Pakistani traffickers instructing Indian accomplices to recruit teenagers for drug and arms smuggling. One, because they have no criminal record and are thus off the radar of security agencies. Two, they cannot be punished harshly under the Juvenile Justice Act. Scores of youngsters have fallen in the trap. Many have been taken in by social media images glorifying weapons. Several operate as pickup agents for consignments dropped by drones. The startling aspect is that even the arrest of acquaintances has failed to act as a deterrent. They are still willing to take enormous risks for quick money. The stark vulnerability is a reminder of the lack of opportunities and a feeling of near-abandonment by the authorities concerned.
Ramping up vigilance alone is not the solution. The Central and state governments must be seen as actively working to erase the border residents’ perception that they have been left out of the India story.