The Supreme Court of India expressed grave concern on Friday over the deteriorating narcotics situation in Punjab, describing the human toll as “alarming” and suggesting that the crisis may now require direct intervention from the Central government.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi called for a fundamental shift in the state’s strategy, criticizing law enforcement for failing to dismantle the high-level networks fueling the trade.
The court’s intervention was punctuated by a harrowing account of a local mother who reportedly lost all five of her sons to drug addiction.
“See what we read. A mother is crying. She lost her fifth son to drugs. She lost all her children to drug addiction,” Chief Justice Kant remarked during the proceedings. Highlighting the need for a more empathetic and effective response from authorities, the CJI added, “Police need to be sensitised.”
In a sharp critique of the Punjab Police, the bench observed that current enforcement efforts often prioritize “newspaper publicity” over meaningful impact. The justices noted that while low-level offenders are frequently arrested, the influential figures orchestrating the trade remain untouched.
Justice Kant specifically identified Ludhiana as the “epicentre” of the narcotics trade. He asserted that the focus must shift away from small-time offenders to those at the top of the hierarchy.
“The bigger sharks or influential ones should be arrested,” Justice Kant stated, adding that major traffickers often escape scrutiny while police focus on minor arrests to bolster public perception.
Given the scale of the crisis, the Supreme Court suggested that the time for localized management may have passed. The bench proposed that the Central government might need to step in to provide the necessary resources and oversight to eradicate the menace.
The Chief Justice was careful to frame this as a collaborative effort rather than a political overreach. “Perhaps central government intervention may be needed,” the CJI said. “But when they do intervene, do not think as if the Centre is interfering. The common goal should be to curb the drug menace.”
Beyond enforcement, the court addressed the systemic bottlenecks in the legal system, noting a massive pendency of cases filed under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
To ensure swifter justice and higher conviction rates for major traffickers, the Supreme Court pledged to facilitate the establishment of specialized NDPS courts across all states. These dedicated courts are intended to expedite trials and ensure that drug-related offenses are processed without the delays currently hampering the judiciary.
