Kolkata, Sep 23 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday said making the state drug-free would be a top priority of his government, asserting that drug addiction was among the factors contributing to serious crimes, including those against women.
Speaking after taking part in the destruction of around 3.10 lakh bottles of a banned cough syrup worth Rs 31 crore at Eco Park in New Town, Adhikari said his government was committed to making the state ‘Nasha Mukt Bengal’.
“Nasha Mukt Bharat is equally important for West Bengal because the crimes which have taken place in this state in the past, including the Baruipur incident, we have found that people who do drugs regularly are behind these barbaric acts, especially in crimes against women,” he said.
The chief minister said drug addiction was also affecting families and society at large.
“Society, family and altogether are getting affected because of these drug addictions. It’s almost five months that we have come to power in West Bengal, and we have given it top priority,” he said.
The destruction programme was organised by the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate as part of the ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat-2029’ campaign.
Adhikari said multiple agencies, including the BSF, state police, STF, Narcotics Control Bureau, Kolkata Police and other central agencies, were working together to curb the drug menace.
“Today, we destroyed around 3.10 lakh bottles of illegal cough syrups worth Rs 31 crore here. This is a big success,” he said.
Earlier this month, Adhikari had overseen the destruction of nearly two lakh bottles of seized Phensedyl cough syrup in Balurghat in Dakshin Dinajpur district.
Referring to the seizure of nearly two lakh bottles of codeine-based cough syrup in Dakshin Dinajpur, Adhikari said the pharmaceutical company concerned had given the state government an undertaking that its products would no longer be sold directly or through its local depot to dealers.
He said the government would continue its drive against drugs.
“We will not stop our drives against drugs,” he said.
The chief minister also said authorities had achieved success in a recent seizure of yaba tablets and arrested a person from Assam in connection with the case. PTI SCH MNB
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