Pune: Commissioner of Pune police Amitesh Kumar on Friday underscored the urgent need for a societal cleansing and declared that the department would soon roll out an initiative named Drug Mukt Prabhag. Under this program, local corporators will assist enforcement agencies in tackling the drug menace within their respective areas.
Porsche Crash Case Highlights Systemic Issues
Kumar referenced the Porsche crash case, where two young individuals lost their lives in a drunk driving incident. He stated, "It brought to light a lot of issues of systemic corruption in various organisations of the government. It exposed acceptance among the higher strata of society to allow juveniles to engage in certain acts and then protect them for their misadventures." The commissioner added, "Yet the optimism is that the very same system's well-oiled mechanism helped book the culprits."
Survey Reveals Alarming Addiction Vulnerabilities
Kumar was speaking on the sidelines of the release of a survey on addiction vulnerabilities among the city's youth at the police commissionerate. He described the survey's findings as "extremely alarming," particularly because Pune is an educational hub with over five lakh students residing in the city at any given time. He noted, "Drugs and alcohol, of course, are a major cause of concern. Also, motor vehicle rules are probably the easiest to comply with, yet we see massive violations."
Parental Awareness and Social Media Risks
The commissioner highlighted that Pune faces a crisis where parents may not realize the lack of checks and balances in paying guest accommodations or flats where their children stay. He also pointed out the vulnerability of youth on social media, where they are exposed to various negative posts.
Breaking the Drug Supply Chain
Kumar emphasized, "The police are trying hard to break the vicious circle of demand and supply chain of drugs. We need a revolution today, such that every individual keeps track of their children and illegal activities, and flags it to the police or the relevant authorities." He stressed that 10,000 police officers cannot be omnipresent in a city of 80 lakh people. "The resources are always going to be limited... it is the people who have to come forward," he added.
Drug Mukt Prabhag Initiative Details
Speaking about the Drug Mukt Prabhag initiative, the commissioner said, "We are speaking with newly elected corporators to clear their areas of the drug menace with help from the police and other enforcement agencies. We want them to assume ownership of the area, such that they act as a pressure group."
