Bilaspur (HP), Dec 15 (PTI) In the dead of winter nights, groups of women step out of their cosy homes in Leghat village of Bilaspur district here, holding torches and wielding sticks, to patrol the silent streets. In their crosshairs are gangs trafficking adulterated heroin, known locally as chitta.
Laghat village, which falls under the Bilaspur Sadar Assembly segment, connects the Bairi Rajadian panchayat with the Barmana industrial area. The area sees heavy vehicular movement round-the-clock, making it an easy transit route for drug peddlers, the women said.
Braving the biting cold, the women patrol village streets in small groups, keeping a close watch on movement during night hours. Suspected persons are questioned, close vigil is kept on passersby, and any unusual activity is reported to the police.
The patrol groups comprise women aged between 25 and 50, all members of the Laghat Mahila Mandal. They are on the roads every night, determined to protect their children from the growing menace of drugs.
“Our aim is to apprehend drug traffickers and ensure the village remains safe,” said Mahila Mandal head Pinky Sharma on Monday. “Drug addiction destroys not just individuals but families and society as a whole. Community participation, along with the police and administration, is essential.” She said, “If we find anyone suspicious, we will stop them and inform the police”. The women asserted that there is no place in the village for drug dealers or those who shelter them, and warned that stricter measures would be taken if required.
Mahila Mandal member Anju Sharma said a newly built link road has increased the movement of outsiders at night, which traffickers exploit to lure young people. She added that the campaign has received full support from villagers.
Another member, Kusum, said their efforts will determine the future of their children and that such initiatives would also strengthen the state government’s campaign against Chitta.” Several residents have joined the women on these night patrols, while others keep watch over people entering and leaving the village and report suspicious activity to the Mahila Mandal or the police. Villagers said failure to act firmly now could lead to serious consequences in the future.
Bilaspur SP Sandeep Dhawal praised the initiative and assured full police support. “The women are doing excellent work. They will receive full cooperation from the police. Those involved in selling or consuming drugs will not be spared,” he said.
Himachal Pradesh is grappling with the spread of dangerous drugs such as chitta, which has claimed many young lives. The government, police, panchayats and local communities are working together combat the menace.
Chitta, or diacetylmorphine, is a semi-synthetic opioid derived from heroin and is highly addictive and lethal. An overdose can be fatal, said Arun Sharma, former director of the State Forensic Science Laboratory.
Police earlier said the drug costs between Rs 4,000 and Rs 6,000 per gram. Its high profit margins have led many drug peddlers to switch to chitta, with network increasingly involved students.
Officials said the situation has become alarming as Chitta spread to rural areas.
The expensive and habit-forming drug, unaffordable for the students, is forcing addicts to “consume as well as sell it” to sustain their habit, drawing more youth into the network and forming chains to survive, they added. PTI COR BPL AKY
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