Despite continuous efforts and promises to make Punjab drugs free by the State Government, videos keep on emerging of people 'under influence' and shocking the people of India in the social media age. Amritsar's Maqboolpura is yet again in the limelight as a man's video allegedly under influence of drugs has gone viral on social media. A few days back, a video from the same area showing a woman under drug influence went viral. With two videos emerging in the past few days, it is crystal clear that Amritsar's Maqboolpura has yet again become the epicenter of not only drug consumption but also the drug trade.
In the new Maqboolpura viral video, it can be seen a man in a blue check shirt barely able to stand. Although there is no information about when the video was filmed, it is clear that the man is 'under influence'. In the Amritsar Maqboopura viral video, another man can be seen filming the man who is under influence and saying that this is what the youth of Punjab is going through. Furthermore, in the video, the man filming the video says that Chitta (an adulterated form of heroin and also comprises other drugs). The video is reportedly from Chamrang Road. Chamrang Road is just 2.3 km away from Maqboolpura.
Watch Amritsar Maqboolpura viral video
अमृतसर के मकबूलपुरा इलाके से एक महिला की नशे में धुत होने की विडीओ वायरल होने के बाद उसके पास पड़ते इलाके चमरंग रोड से एक ओए नशे में धुत नौजवान की भी वीडीओ सामने आई है। विडीओ किसी राहगीर द्वारा सोशल मीडिया पर डाली गई है https://t.co/rZF4rRNFzF pic.twitter.com/rN58G1yV2h
— Gagandeep Singh (@Gagan4344) September 24, 2022
A few days back, a video of a young woman, who was allegedly under the influence of drugs, went viral on social media. The video was reportedly captured in the Maqboolpura locality falling under the Amritsar East constituency.
Govt should pay serious attention to increasing drugs, Video of Maqbool Pura which is called the village of widows and the area is also known for housing large number of drug addicts. pic.twitter.com/9xfbv7lvTP
— Gagandeep Singh (@Gagan4344) September 11, 2022
Maqboolpura is not new to drugs menace
For the unversed, Amritsar's Maqboolpura is also called the 'village of widows'. Maqboolpura, a village barely a couple of kilometers away from Amritsar, is wedded to sorrows inflicted on its people by the menace of drugs. As per a 2016 report, Maqboolpura is a small village of about 25,000 residents, who settled here primarily as refugees immediately after the Partition. The report further stated that more than 400 people died in 2016 since 1999 and most of them were allegedly drug addicts.
Punjab Police busts ISI-backed terror module, two operatives held with AK-56 rifle and Ammunition
A senior journalist named Shami Shareen while talking to True Scoop News stated that Maqboolpura has been the epicenter of drugs for the past 30 to 40 years. Maqboolpura is called the 'village of widows' as many males have lost their lives due to drug overdose. He also shared an anecdote of his interview of an old woman of Maqboolpura who lost her all 6 sons due to a drug overdose. Furthermore, he stated that not only the drug peddlers come up with unique and modern ways to sell but also people there are actively consuming it as well. Shareen stated that although the Police have been successful in curbing the drug menace to some extent, Maqboolpura drug videos show the village of widows needs attention.
Notably, Kiran Bedi's late husband Brij Bedi had opened a school named Citizens’ Forum to become a savior for children of drug abuse victims and those belonging to economically weak sections, living in the infamous Maqboolpura Colony. However, Shareen stated that the people there hardly go to Bedi's school.
'Involvement of Police in drugs case cannot be denied fully'
Shareen also sensed that without the help of the Police the selling of drugs and even consumption is not possible. It is pertinent to mention here that multiple officers of ADGP rank conducted a search operation after the woman's video under influence went viral on social media. However, nothing concrete was found in the search operation. Coming to the woman's under influence viral video, the police identified her and she was later admitted to Swami Vivekanand De-addiction Centre in Government Medical College. Punjab's last two elections has been fought on the vision of eradicating drugs from the state. Be it Captain Amarinder's vision or the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP's promise, the drug issue has been the epicenter of the state elections.
Talking about Maqboolpura, the area falls under the Amritsar East constituency represented by AAP MLA Jeevan Jyot Kaur currently. During the Punjab Elections which saw AAP winning it for the first time, there was tough competition between Congress's Navjot Sidhu and Shiromani Akali Dal's Bikram Singh Majithia, however, it was Jeevan Jyot Kaur who emerged victorious.
'Pakistan border factor'
As above mentioned, most of the residents of Maqboolpura to this village after the partition. However, their misery and turmoil did not decrease as the proximity to the border became a bane as frequent smuggling of drugs via the border ensured that the supply of drugs for the village youth is never interrupted. In fact, in all the bordering districts of Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Gurdaspur are infested with drug menace with the majority of their youth getting addicted.
With the drug menace again jolting Punjab and India, 'People-Police-Political Leaders' have to join hands in order to eradicate this.