Anger over the drug menace surfaced publicly at Mehna Basti here when local residents, including several women, questioned an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader during a municipal corporation election campaign event.
According to residents, drugs are being sold openly in the area despite the state government’s ongoing anti-drug campaign, ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’. The issue was brought up when Rajan Amardeep, Chairman of The Bathinda Central Cooperative Bank, visited the locality to campaign for elections on Wednesday evening.
During the interaction, women residents raised serious concerns over the alleged availability of narcotics in the locality. One woman claimed that her son had fallen victim to drug addiction and was saved only after the family spent nearly Rs 2 lakh on his treatment.
Taking immediate notice of the complaints, Rajan Amardeep spoke to an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) over the phone and questioned him regarding the allegations. He also spoke to SP (City) Narinder Singh, urging strict action against drug peddlers operating in the area.
A video of the confrontation has since gone viral on social media, drawing widespread attention.
Meanwhile, talking to The Tribune, Rajan Amardeep said, “Mehna Basti is considered the hotspot of drugs. Some residents complained me regarding the drug menace, and I spoke to the police officers, urging them to take action.”
Responding to the incident, SP (City) Narinder Singh said the police were already taking strict action against drug related crimes and had registered several cases in recent months. He appealed to residents to provide credible information to help police arrest drug traffickers.
Earlier, on Tuesday, the residents from Paras Ram Nagar, Arjun Nagar, Jogi Nagar, Gopal Nagar and Janta Nagar, under the banner of ‘Sanjha Morcha’, had also staged a protest at Gurukul Road here. Protesters demanded the demolition of illegal shanties and accused some slum dwellers of involvement in drug trafficking activities.
