Heartbroken Mother in Punjab Loses Fifth Son to Drug Addiction, Contradicts Official Police Statements
A critically ailing drug addict from Sultanpur Lodhi in Kapurthala district passed away at Government Medical College Amritsar on Tuesday, marking the tragic loss of the fifth son in his family to addiction-related causes. The patient, whose parents had publicly pleaded for assistance to save his life, died within twenty-four hours of being admitted by police and government officials following widespread news coverage of the family's desperate situation.
Medical Complications and Final Hours
Kapurthala Civil Surgeon Dr. Sanjeev Bhagat confirmed that the patient suffered from multiple severe health complications, testing positive for both Hepatitis-C and HIV while also developing fluid accumulation around his left lung. The patient was placed on ventilator support immediately upon arrival at the medical college on Monday. Dr. Bhagat noted, "He initially showed signs of improvement on Tuesday morning but then began deteriorating rapidly, passing away around 3 PM." Recognizing the family's financial exhaustion from previous tragedies, the civil surgeon arranged for the medical college to transport the body back to the family home.
A Mother's Anguish and Police Controversy
When informed of her son's death in the late evening, the mother collapsed in profound grief, reiterating her heartbreaking claim that all five of her sons had fallen victim to drug addiction. This assertion directly contradicted official statements released on Monday by both the ruling Aam Aadmi Party and Kapurthala police authorities, who claimed only one son died specifically from addiction while another passed away in jail related to a drugs case over an eight-year period.
"All my sons were addicted to 'chitta' (drugs)," the distraught mother wailed, her pain amplified by police questioning her account. She expressed mixed emotions, stating, "I shall praise Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for helping with my son's treatment, but I will call the police bad. The Kapurthala police officer got news published saying I was giving fake information. They don't understand a mother's pain."
Family Tragedy and Community Crisis
The mother revealed that her other four sons had all died in their twenties, while this final son had recently crossed thirty before succumbing. The elderly couple now faces the daunting responsibility of caring for their four grandchildren—two grandsons and two granddaughters—amid their profound loss.
In a previous interview, the mother acknowledged she knew her last surviving son struggled with addiction when she arranged his marriage, explaining, "We got him treated and he was fine for some time. I wanted my family's name to continue." Her tragic story reflects a broader community crisis, as women in Pandori Mohalla have repeatedly alleged their neighborhood suffers from rampant drug availability that has claimed numerous young lives.
Community Outcry and Police Response
On Monday, police conducted search operations in the locality where women openly expressed anger and anguish about the easy accessibility of drugs. During this operation, families voluntarily handed over three drug addicts to authorities for treatment. Another resident, Charanjit Kaur, shared her parallel tragedy, having lost two sons to drug addiction—one seven years ago and another approximately three years back.
This case has highlighted the ongoing drug epidemic in Punjab, exposing tensions between community experiences and official narratives while underscoring the human cost of addiction on multiple generations within affected families.
