Leaders call for swift action to combat rising drug crisis

Raising concern over the persistent drug and ganja menace, leaders of various student unions, teachers’ federations and civil society organisations on Tuesday called for stronger, more effective measures to curb the spread, especially near educational institutions.

Speaking at a round-table meet organised by the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) in Vijayawada, leaders of various organisations underscored the need for concerted efforts to check the rapid rise in the menace and safeguard the future of youth in the State.

The federation’s State secretary G. Ramanna, Student Federation of India (SFI) State president K. Prasanna Kumar, All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) State president Sridevi, former MLC and State president of Jana Vignana Vedika K.S. Lakshmana Rao and representatives of various other organisations spoke at the meet.

Stating that drug and ganja consumption had reached alarming levels across the State in recent times, they said youth were getting addicted and ruining their lives. Due to the influence of narcotics, criminal tendencies among youth had increased, particularly among teenagers, they said citing a study.

“Drugs are being openly sold near schools, colleges, engineering colleges, medical colleges, and universities in the form of chocolates, biscuits and tablets, targeting students for profit. The ganja mafia is also exploiting some unemployed youth for their activities,” said the federation leaders.

Citing the case of a youth leader Penchalayya in Nellore two months ago, who was brutally murdered for fighting against the ganja mafia, they said within a month of that incident, a 12-year-old girl from Kavali in Nellore district was allegedly kidnapped and sexually assaulted by a similar gang while on her way to school. “She fought for her life in the hospital for a week before succumbing,” said the leaders, adding that in Madanapalle, a seven-year-old child was killed in a horrifying manner, as per media reports. In Nizamabad, an Excise police constable named Soumya was deliberately run over and killed in a brutal manner, they said.

The student leaders cited recent reports released by the Eagle wing, which they said raised serious concerns. The registration of 1,836 cases in a single year reflect the gravity of the situation, they added.

Seeking strict and impartial enforcement of laws to eradicate the drug mafia, they said special surveillance and awareness programmes must be conducted near educational institutions, and added that rehabilitation and de-addiction centres must be strengthened.

They also urged political leaders to expel those involved in the mafia from their respective parties and take strict action against them. Apart from this, they also sought an increase in the number of rehabilitation and de-addiction centres, allocation and utilisation of adequate funds and steps to provide alternative employment opportunities to youth involved in drug peddling.