As Jammu and Kashmir’s drive against narcotics entered its 43rd day, the government has intensified its crackdown, registering 797 cases against peddlers and demolishing 81 illicit structures and attaching 101 properties built with drug money. The offensive is part of the 100-day Nasha Mukt Abhiyan launched in Jammu on April 11.Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha. (File)On Saturday, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha led the Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir Padyatra in Shopian. Addressing participants, Sinha said that the anti-drug campaign has evolved into a powerful, community-driven grassroots movement. “From every lane and bylane of the UT, voices are rising in unison, demanding that not a single drug smuggler be spared,” Sinha said. “Millions across Jammu and Kashmir are determined to eradicate narcotics-terrorism from this land of paradise.”The Lieutenant Governor directly linked the narcotics trade to regional instability, noting that terrorist groups use drug proceeds to fund weapons that spill the blood of ordinary Kashmiris.He issued a stern warning against institutional complicity. “Whether an official or anyone in public life, if they are in any way connected to the drug network or lend it support, they will face strict legal consequences. If even the slightest trace of this infection has seeped into our system, it will be mercilessly cut out,” he said.Dismantling networkThe administration has taken legal and financial measures to disrupt trafficking networks. Over the past 43 days, law-enforcement agencies have arrested 894 drug smugglers and peddlers, with 59 traffickers detained under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT-NDPS) Act.The financial crackdown has resulted in the demolition of 81 “narcotic palaces” built with illicit funds, the attachment of 101 immovable properties, and the seizure of assets worth crores. Additionally, the authorities have suspended 457 driving licences, recommended the cancellation of 22 passports belonging to smugglers, and initiated registration cancellations for 606 vehicles.The crackdown has been extended to the pharmaceutical sector. Following inspections of 5,641 drug stores, the authorities suspended or cancelled the licences of 268 outlets and filed FIRs against six pharmacies.Empowering communityTo sustain the momentum, the J&K government has set up more than 7,000 women’s committees across the Union Territory. Sinha emphasised that the administration’s immediate duty is to empower these committees to ensure they can police and protect their neighbourhoods effectively.Acknowledging the fear parents face regarding youth addiction, Sinha announced that law enforcement aims to entirely dismantle these “dark fiefdoms” to ensure the safety for every household.Beyond punitive action, the government is finalising a comprehensive rehabilitation policy. “Our aim is not only to free addicted youth through de-addiction programmes but also to reintegrate them into the mainstream by providing jobs,” Sinha said.