A village that turned into hub of drug trade

Marari Kalan, the village where five deaths due to spurious liquor took place, has attained notoriety for drug trade in recent years.

According to villagers, all kind of narcotics and illicit liquor are being sold here.

Residents said four years ago, they had unanimously passed a resolution to make Marari Kalan drug-free.

Youngsters, women, village panchayat and the police actively collaborated to prohibit the sale and use of drugs for two years. Several addicts were sent for de-addiction treatment.

According to locals, Papalpreet Singh, an aide of Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha MP Amritpal Singh, led an anti-drug campaign.

“We supported the campaign and the flow of drugs had halted,” said Hira Singh, a young activist.

He said of late, the drive has fizzled out. “Drug peddlers now enjoy a free run. Today, drugs and illicit liquor are not only available, they are openly sold,” he said. Boards declaring the village “drug-free” were also put up at key locations. But now, all the boards have been removed.

“We want to make the village drug-free again,” said Hira Singh, adding that politics had further divided the village, “with factions preventing a united front”.

Punjab