Drug racket baffles denizens; Gogoi worried

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, May 3: There has been turmoil at Ambari in the city for the past three days following the busting of a drug racket. The business has been running for a long time on the Surya Kumar Bhuyan Path in the Ambari area in the city.

Dighalipukhuri (East) Unyan Committee and the local people submitted a memorandum in this regard to the Kamrup (M) Deputy Commissioner recently. The local people alleged that the business has all along been running with the help of the police. The local people did make the matter known to Latasil police station many a time only to be ignored, the local people alleged.

Since May 1, the police, under pressure from the local people, have been raiding in the area. While two youths – Kirmani Hussain of Satmile in the Garigaon area and Rahul Ali of Belsor in lbari – were arrested yesterday, two others – Girmaya Husain and Uma Begum – were arrested from the area today. Billal Afridi, Vellu Ali, Babul Ali and many other accused have been absconding. The police seized over Rs 1.68 lakh from the residence of Billal and Babul Ali. A huge quantity of different types of drugs and other materials were recovered during the operation in the area.

Babul Ali, according to sources, supplies drugs in the area in the guise of a rickshaw puller.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today voiced serious concern over the growing drug mece in the state. He said, “The rising trend of drug abuse among youth, more particularly in the student community, is alarming.”

Gogoi stated, “There’s an urgent need for awareness among the adolescents and youth to throw light on the inherent dangers of the hazard.”  

In this regard, Gogoi asked the Chief Secretary to constitute a task force headed by Additiol Chief Secretary (Home) to address the issue of drug abuse.  “Various departments like Home, Education, Health & Family Welfare and Social Welfare are to be incorporated in the Task Force aimed at beating the mece of drugs,” Gogoi said.

Gogoi also stressed that adequate awareness and preventive measures should be enforced at the district level for optimum results. He also asked the police and other law-enforcing agencies to be more vigilant and take strong action against drug marketers indulged in this nuisance.