Punjab: A village that became the center of drug trade

Punjab: Marari Kalan, the village where five deaths were reported due to spurious liquor, has become notorious for drug dealing in recent years. According to villagers, all kinds of intoxicants and illicit liquor are being sold here. Residents informed that four years ago they had unanimously passed a resolution to make Marari Kalan drug-free.

Youths, women, gram panchayat and police actively cooperated to curb the sale and use of intoxicants for two years. Many addicts were sent for de-addiction treatment. According to locals, Papalpreet Singh, an aide of Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha MP Amritpal Singh, led the anti-drug drive. “We supported the drive and the supply of drugs stopped,” said youth activist Heera Singh.

He said the drive has failed recently. “Drug dealers are now roaming freely. Today narcotics and illicit liquor are not only available but also sold openly,” he said. Boards declaring the village “drug-free” were also put up at prominent places. But now all the boards have been removed. “We want to make the village drug-free again,” said Heera Singh. He said politics had further divided the village, “due to factions a united front is not being formed.”