Poonam Sharma
In a nation already battling drug abuse on a war footing, a chilling revelation from Punjab has raised the stakes dramatically. At the Jehan Khelan Police Recruit Training Centre in Punjab, six trainee constables have tested positive for narcotic substances during routine dope testing. These are not just youths gone astray — they are men in training to protect and enforce the law, who have now become the very embodiment of the threat they were meant to fight.
The names — Arshdeep Singh, Manish, Sumit, Tejvikramjit Singh, Adesh Pratap Singh, and Abhay Pratap Singh — now symbolize a larger crisis: the drug epidemic’s penetration into the Indian security framework.
Punjab: A State at War With Itself
Once hailed as India’s food bowl, Punjab is now fighting an invisible war. According to a 2022 report by AIIMS and NDDTC, over 8.6 lakh people in Punjab are currently grappling with substance abuse. Of these, more than 2 lakh are using heroin, and a shocking 89% of users are under the age of 35.
If youth are falling to drugs, it is heartbreaking.
If law enforcers are falling to drugs, it is catastrophic.
The arrest or dismissal of a few individuals won’t solve it — it’s systemic rot.
Why This Is Not Just Another ‘Scandal’ — It’s a National Emergency
When the protectors become potential perpetrators, the fabric of national security begins to tear. Here’s why this incident is not just about six constables, but about India’s institutional vulnerability:
1. Compromised Internal Security
Punjab shares a 553 km-long porous border with Pakistan — a region long exploited by narco-terror networks. Drug-addicted or compromised cops could be soft targets for blackmail, recruitment, or passive collusion. Border security isn’t just about fences, it’s about who’s guarding them.
2. From Smugglers to Uniforms: A Smooth Transition?
If a recruit can access drugs inside a controlled, surveillance-heavy police academy, it begs the question — is there collusion? Has the drug trade infiltrated our institutions more deeply than we feared?
3. Weaponizing Addiction
In a chilling parallel, Mexico’s drug cartels have for years co-opted local police forces through addiction, bribery, and intimidation. India may not be there yet — but are we seeing the first signs?
Numbers That Should Haunt Us
- Punjab has the highest rate of substance abuse among Indian states.
- 40% of youth in some border districts are either addicted or recovering.
- Dope tests among police in 2023 found 200+ personnel using substances, most undetected for years.
- In 2024 alone, over ₹1,200 crore worth of drugs were seized in Punjab — and experts believe this is less than 10% of the actual traffic.
So what happens when those meant to stop this traffic are on the take — or worse, the trip?
Is the State Fighting or Feeding the Crisis?
Politicians cut ribbons at rehab centres and call press conferences after each major seizure, but few have dared to tackle the elephant in the room — institutional drug contamination. How did these six trainee constables pass recruitment? Were no medical screenings done? Or are the loopholes intentionally left open?
If the rot is at the roots — in recruitment, in training — then it is not just a police problem, it’s a governance failure.
This Is What Must Be Done — Urgently
- Mandatory Monthly Dope Tests
For all personnel in active service and all recruits, with central oversight. - Independent Recruitment Audits
Background, neighbourhood, and psychological screening before uniform is issued. - Criminal Accountability in Training Centres
If substances enter a secure police facility, someone is allowing them in. - Narcotics Intelligence & Vetting Task Force
A special anti-narcotics branch that also scans security force personnel, not just civilians. - Tech-Driven Surveillance at Entry Points
Use AI and biometric tracking at border check posts and barracks to detect unusual activity patterns. Final Thought: What Happens When the Shield Itself is Shattered?
This is not just a Punjab problem. It is a mirror to what might be festering in other states, other academies, and other ranks. Today it’s six constables — tomorrow it could be an entire battalion.
When addiction and apathy seep into the security forces, what remains of security?
India cannot afford to treat this as an isolated incident or a PR crisis. It is a silent infiltration — one that doesn’t need guns, just grams.The call to action is not just for Punjab, but for the nation.
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