2 women cops in Kashmir lead fight against drugs

Undeterred by the challenges that Kashmir often throws up, two women police officers have launched a crusade to rescue young men from the clutches of drug addiction in the valley.

The lockdown and communication blockade that was imposed in Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 seems to have spurred drug addiction among the vulnerable men in Kashmir.

But, two women DSPs Nizla Angmo and Farah Nishat of the Jammu and Kashmir Police have now decided to confront the growing problem head on.

Last month when Angmo led a police party to Nasrullah Pora area in Budgam district to nab drug peddlers, she received a rousing reception from the people in the area.

"The village has been notorious for stone pelting, but I was pleasantly surprised when people came out and cheered us," Angmo said. "They raised slogan in our support and against drug addiction."

Her crusade to rid Nasrullah Pora of drug addiction began after police arrested a notorious drug peddler from the area and seized psychotropic substances like Tramadol, Chlorodiapoxide, Alprazolam and Clonazepam tablets from him.

She said before venturing into the village she met the village elders who gave her a list of 10 people involved in the drug peddling and addiction and urged her to act against them.

"Half of the addicts have voluntarily admitted themselves in different hospitals," she said. "It was a big encouragement for me the way people supported our move against drug peddlers in that village," the young officer said.

A video showing villagers hailing her has gone viral on the social media and is trending on the Twitter.

She said Kashmir has always been close to her heart. She said when she was selected for the Kashmir Police Service (KPS) in 2018 she opted to train in the valley against her hometown in Leh, Ladakh.

"I requested the DGP twice to allow me to continue my training here and he agreed," she said.

"I wanted to know what is happening in Kashmir and why are people against uniformed people," she said.

"People have been misled, if you give a good response to the public, it will be reciprocated. There is no way they will pelt stones."

Farah Nishat, who is posted at the Rajbagh police station in Srinagar, has embarked on a similar mission.

A resident of Ramban in Jammu, she said she chose Srinagar for training.

"Srinagar is a very challenging posting compared to Jammu," she said. "But I love it here and hope I will get to work in Srinagar after my probation."

Operations by Nishat against drug dealings in Srinagar over the last two months have led to the arrest of six drug peddlers and seizure of large quantity of contraband substances.

She says that people are now reaching out to her to arrest drug addicts.

"People in Kashmir are very cooperative and support the police against drug addiction," Nishat said. "They are cooperative, very supportive, decent, honest and straightforward people."

( With inputs from IANS )