MHADA chief, cleric join hands to fight drug peddlers

MHADA chief, cleric join hands to fight drug peddlers
Volunteers of the ‘Drugs Free Mumbai’ campaign will identify pushers and alert police to their activities. Cops vow support.

The MHADA chief and a top Muslim cleric have come together to form a citizen’s group to track drug peddlers in areas such as Shivaji Nagar, Govandi, Mohammed Ali Road, Dongri, etc. The group said it will identify peddlers and alert the police. Cops, in turn, have promised support, but have told the group not to indulge in violence.

The campaign ‘Drugs Free Mumbai’ is spearheaded by MHADA chairman Yusuf Abrahani and his NGO Ekta, in tandem with Hazrat Maulana Syed Moin Miyan, president of the Jamia Qadariya Ashrafia, a Muslim religious organisation.

On Thursday, around a hundred volunteers of the group, joined by school students, political and religious leaders, marched to the Shivaji Nagar and Deonar police stations in Govandi, where they presented a memorandum to the officers in charge. The objective was to demand strict action against drug peddlers in the areas.

“Youngsters turning to crime and getting involved in anti-social activities because they are habituated to psychotropic drugs,” said Abrahani. “We have given the police time till September 5 to arrest these drug peddlers, after which we will trace them ourselves and take them to the police station,” he said. “We have zeroed in on 10 areas and have visited six places where drugs are easily available. Despite spreading awareness, consumption of drugs seems to be increasing and more and more youngsters are turning addicts,” Abrahani said. The Shivaji Nagar police alone have arrested 135 drug peddlers in the past week. Other arrests were made in Nagpada and Dongri.

“It’s a real challenge for Mumbaikars. Strict action must be taken against the accused to serve as a deterrent for others,” Abrahani added.

The drive has won the support of intellectuals, social activists, schools and even Ganpati mandals, and met with the approval of Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria.

Promising stern action, DCP Namdev Chavan said, “We have been instructed to take strict action against those in possession of drugs. Cases of people being booked under the Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substances Act have increased since Maria took over. He looks into cases himself, because eradicating street crime is among his priorities.”

The police, who have also taken specific steps to eradicate drugs from slums areas, said that due to such moves people are stepping forward with useful information.

“For instance, we revived the Jhopadpatti Police Panchayat, wherein meetings are held between police and slum dwellers every month. They provide inputs about drug peddlers and other anti-social activities,” said DCP Zone 6 Sangramsingh Nishandar. “Initially people were sacred to speak out, but they are now more forthcoming after we assured them of security and confidentiality,” Nishandar added.