KSU slams police over failure to nab ‘drug lords’

 SHILLONG, AUG 31: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) today slammed the state police for its failure to nab the “kingpins” involved in the illegal drug trade in the state capital, which has led to the increasing number of drug users.

This was following the apprehension of yet another drug user turned small-time dealer by the cadres of the Upper Shillong Circle and Lummawbah unit of the Union on Thursday night.

The twenty-one-year-old youth has also revealed the names of big time drug suppliers allegedly residing in the campus of the Assam Regimental Centre (ARC) and Madanrting area.

“We used to get the supply (heroin) from persons by the name of Michael, Rose and Tha, who claimed to be the wife of an ex army personnel, from ARC, Happy Valley at the rate of Rs 3,000 – 4,000 per golden tin container for sale in the area (upper Shillong),” the youth told reporters at a press conference.

The youth who is also a college dropout said that he has been into the trade for two years and that the number of drug users has also increased in the area.

On the other hand, KSU chief Lambokstarwell Marngar questioned the state police for its failure to nab the kingpins despite the names revealed by the apprehended youth were quite popular among the small-time peddlers in the city.

“We wonder what could be the reason for the police to be reluctant to take action against these kingpins when they are very much operating their illegal businesses in the state capital and destroying our youth,” he said.

Marngar said that the police should stop targeting small-time peddlers and start concentrating on cracking down on the big fish. “This is because we have never seen the police catching the kingpins,” he added.

Asked whether the KSU would approach the ARC on the matter, KSU general secretary Donald V Thabah however said, “It is the duty of the ARC to keep check on such illegalities within its vicinity if it is really for the protection of the citizens.”

Earlier, KSU Nongthymmai Circle organizing secretary Richard Mawkhiew said that many peddlers apprehended by the Union have been naming the same people who have been supplying them with heroin.

“We urged the police to take action against these people at the earliest to ensure that problem is nip in the bud because as of now the current scenario is that we do not see any reduction in the number of drug users,” he said.

Asked, Marngar admitted the need for the state government to set up its own rehabilitation centre and said it has to come up with mechanism to rehabilitate drug users.

“If the government is not sensitive towards this issue, there will come a time that every family will face this problem. Therefore, there is need for the government to set up a proper rehabilitation centre,” he said.

It may be mentioned here the state government has failed to come up with the latest survey report on the population of drug users in the state till today.

The last survey report was conducted in 2009 by the North East India Drugs and Aids Care (NEIDAC) which stated the number of drug users in Meghalaya had gone up to 17,833, an increase of 33 times compared to 1999 which was only 556.

By Our Reporter