LG launches J&K’s toughest crackdown on drug networks

• By RK News
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• 11 Apr 2026

‘Drug smugglers’ assets will be seized, ringleaders prosecuted’ • Unveils 100-day drug-free J&K campaign, flags off Padyatra • Passports, DLs, Aadhaar, Arms licences to be revoked • Look Out Circular for absconders

Jammu, Apr 11: In a stern warning to drug smugglers, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday declared that their assets will be seized, ringleaders prosecuted, and punishment delivered swiftly, as he launched a historic 100-day intensive campaign under the Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir Abhiyaan from MA Stadium in Jammu.

"The administration will confiscate all property, revoke licenses, passports, Aadhaar, and freeze bank accounts of all those involved. This crackdown against drug smugglers will echo through generations," the Lieutenant Governor warned while addressing a massive gathering after flagging off a Padyatra from MA Stadium to Parade Ground.

The LG flagged off Padyatra and joined the public representatives, senior officials and thousands of citizens in the walkathon from MA Stadium to Parade Ground, marking the beginning of a 100-day intensive campaign under Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir Abhiyaan.

Sinha announced that a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) against drug traffickers has been issued, under which passports, driving licenses, Aadhaar numbers, and arms licenses of smugglers involved in drug trafficking will be revoked. "If they are absconding, a Look Out Circular will be issued immediately. Additionally, their movable and immovable properties will be attached under the NDPS Act, bank accounts frozen, and a financial investigation will be launched," he said.

The LG further informed that on April 2, the Jammu and Kashmir Substance Use Disorder Treatment, Counselling and Rehabilitation Centres Rules, 2026, were notified, ensuring every centre is genuine, dedicated to patients affected by addiction, equipped with all required human resources, and under continuous monitoring. "Action will be taken against centres operating without support staff or in violation of the rules," he added.

Directing senior officers to ensure swift action on complaints and strengthen grassroots intelligence, he called for cooperation from panchayats, mohalla committees, chowkidars, lambardars, and ward surveillance committees to identify and punish every culprit. "Our strength in the Drug-Free J&K Campaign lies in collective action. When departments unite with shared purpose, we prevail. Since early 2021, we have moved beyond planning to decisive action, successfully implementing initiatives that have reached previously untouched communities, engaged youth in schools, and expanded rehabilitation services. No individual faces this battle alone; the administration stands firmly committed," he said.

Sinha called upon youth, social workers, community leaders, teachers, women, and athletes to participate in large numbers, stating that they are the face, force, and future of this campaign. "The next three months will sow seeds of lasting change. Let anti-drug sports tournaments brim with fervour, debates steel youth resolve, and quizzes embed awareness. Map drug-affected areas accurately; unity marches and Padyatras inspire neighbourhoods; marathons from panchayats to cities declare that J&K will never bow to drugs," he said.

Emphasising that from village chaupals to district headquarters, every event must pulse with a mass movement spirit, he added, "April 11 is not a ceremonial start but the first step of a transformative march. Let us build a movement so broad, so resolute, and so deeply people-driven that it lays the foundation of a drug-free J&K."

On the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor administered the "Anti-Drug Pledge" to citizens and unveiled the official campaign mascot. An awareness video, along with singing and cultural performances by renowned artists, echoed the message of a drug-free Jammu and Kashmir. The Padyatra was warmly received by business organisations, civil society members, and various stakeholders along the route.

Addressing a massive gathering, the Lieutenant Governor gave a clarion call to make Jammu and Kashmir free from the scourge of drugs. “We have given voice to a resolve that will reach every village, town, city, home, and heartbeat in Union Territory, fulfilling the pledge of a drug-free region," he said. "Next three months are pivotal, with the campaign advancing in six clear phases- Awareness intensive drives, youth-focused events, community engagement, strict enforcement, rehabilitation and evaluation. We will move forward with the whole of government approach to rid J&K of the drug menace."

Sinha said the eradication of drug addiction is a collective responsibility that rests upon us all. “We pledge resolutely that the administration will not let any youth, family, or dream fall into the dark abyss of addiction. I firmly believe that drug addiction statistics show mere percentages and case files, but behind each lies a vivid story, a family's struggle and agony," he said.

The LG said the drug-free J&K campaign demands not just sympathy but collective action because it is not an individual plight but a collective crisis, not one family's tragedy but a challenge to us all. Together, with unwavering resolve, we will fight and defeat the scourge of drug abuse, he stressed.

Sinha said that drug abuse is among J&K's gravest challenges, and we stand firm in our commitment to confront drug abuse and emerge victorious. “Bound by shared purpose, we will rise against drug abuse and claim the victory that awaits us. The three-month-long people's movement across J&K will make every person grasp the issue, turning information into responsibility through public participation,” he said.

The Lieutenant Governor vowed decisive and uncompromising action against drug smugglers to free the J&K UT from the grip of the drug menace. “Those who destroy society will face the full and uncompromising weight of the law. Our neighbour is using cross-border smuggling to poison our communities and undermine our nation's future. Every officer carries one obligation: this must stop. The full force of the law is now directed at smugglers. Their networks will be dismantled without delay,” he said.