HC upholds detention of drug peddler

Excelsior Correspondent

Srinagar, Aug 25: High Court has upheld the detention order of a drug peddler passed by the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir citing that the authorities have to deal with iron hands to save the society against the menace of drug abuse.
Justice M A Chowdhary has upheld the detention of one Tawqeer Bashir Magray of Nowshara Boniyar Baramulla who was detained on March 4 for the commission of offences under NDPS Act.
Court said the menace of illicit drug activities is a social problem that harms youth and their families, and the money it generates is diverted for disruptive activities that have bearings on national security.
“Many of these youth lose their lives to drugs and narcotics and a significant numbers are likely to grow up to become drug addicts and no part of the world is free from the curse of drug addiction”, Justice Chowdhary recorded
Court has also observed that drug abuse has emerged as a serious concern globally, adversely affecting the physical and socio-economic well-being of the country and has severe repercussions on public health across various sections of the society.
“The epidemic of drug abuse in younger generation has assumed alarming dimensions in the country. Prevention of drug abuse among adolescents requires awareness about its destructive results”, reads the judgment.
Detention record as produced before the court reveals that FIR No. 04/2023 under Section 8/21 NDPS Act was registered at Police station Sheeri against the detenue-Magrey and the contraband seized from the detenue, prima facie, indicates that he is fully involved in the illegal trade in an organized manner which is a great threat for sustaining the conservative values of the society.
The reports received from the field agencies are suggestive of the fact that the detenue is dealing with illegal business of Narcotics and in order to carry out this illegal trade, the detenue is exploiting the immature minds of the younger generation by making them habitual addicts.
The detenue court said, as per the reports of field agencies, was supplying drugs against hefty amounts to the immature youth, which in turn has exposed them to different kinds of immoral and illegal criminal tendencies like, thefts and other illegal activates in order to purchase drugs from the detenue. “The drug mafia, of which the detenue is an active member, is hell bent to spoil the life and career of younger generation by selling drugs to them against hefty amounts. Therefore, it was found imperative to detain the detenue under the provisions of the Act”, reads the judgment.