Bathinda, April 10
In a major embarrassment to the government, a youth today confronted Health Minister Dr Vijay Singla with ‘chitta’ (synthetic drug) in his hand, claiming it was being sold openly in the area. The youth made the claim during a programme attended by the minister at Joga village in Mansa district.
Addressing the gathering, the youth, one of the organisers, claimed he had sent a person to purchase the drug this morning. “He was told by the peddlers not to fear the police and instead watch out for vigilantes looking for peddlers in villages these days,” he claimed.
Seeing the situation get out of hand, Singla took the mike and said youth were now standing up against drugs. “This is also an indication of badlav (change),” he quipped. He issued instructions to the SHO to take strict action against drug peddlers within a week.
Village youth had constituted a committee to fight drugs. At the meeting today, they alleged peddlers were active in the area in connivance with police. They claimed after the AAP formed the government, they brought the matter to the minister’s notice, but to no avail. Before the meeting, they claimed to have called up the SHO and informed him about sale of drugs from a house in the area. Bathinda has witnessed at least nine deaths due to drug overdose in the past one month.
Mansa youth confronts minister with ‘chitta’
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