Over 30 government employees, including doctors, police personnel and other officials, have been arrested in connection with ‘chitta’ (synthetic drug) trafficking in Himachal Pradesh over the past 18 months.
The drug menace, which has already ruined the youth, is now tainting the reputation of government departments, pushing even law enforcement and civil servants into its clutches.
Among those arrested recently is a forest guard linked to an inter-state drug trafficking network operating in areas like Rohru, Jubbal and Chirgaon. The notorious Shahi Mahatma Gang, involved in chitta smuggling for years, has been exposed through these arrests. According to police officials, the high cost of ‘chitta’ drives addicts, regardless of their social or professional standing, to resort to trafficking to sustain their addiction.
Police department affected too
The scourge of ‘chitta’ has infiltrated the ranks of the police itself. About a month and a half ago, a police constable was arrested for his involvement in chitta smuggling. Other arrested officials include a bank assistant manager, an MBBS doctor, a technical assistant employed by a panchayat, a postal department employee and a secretariat staff member.
Stringent actions taken
In a recent case in Kotkhai, a panchayat assistant arrested for chitta trafficking was dismissed from service by the district administration. Shimla’s Additional Deputy Commissioner Abhishek Verma emphasised the government’s zero-tolerance policy towards drug trafficking, stating that anyone involved in activities undermining society would face strict legal and administrative actions. The rising involvement of public servants in the drug trade has alarmed authorities, leading to intensified crackdown.
