Drug addiction 'biggest social menace' in Valley: Police

Terming drug addiction among youth as the "biggest social menace" in Kashmir Valley, police today sought people's cooperation to deal with the problem.
"Militancy has taken a toll of our previous generation and now drug addiction is posing an alarming threat to the next one...We as a society have to come forward to eradicate this threat," Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Abdul Gani Mir said addressing the maiden police-traders meet here.
The meeting, held at SKICC on the banks of Dal Lake, was attended by DIGs, SSPs, SPs and Zonal SPs of all districts and representatives of trade bodies including president of Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Association, Mohammad Yasin Shah.

Drug addiction among youth has emerged as a biggest social menace and its needs to be fought collectively in which schools, teachers, parents, traders, druggists and chemists and police have a vital role to play, the IGP said.
Police on its part, has taken various measures and looks forward to take new initiatives in its effort of eradicating this menace, Mir said.
Referring to the youth involved in stone-pelting, the officer said, a mechanism has been put in place where in counselling is provided to stone pelters so that they get a chance to stop such activities.
"It is after gathering all relevant evidence with respect to any person involved in stone pelting, that the police arrests the person," he said.