SRINAGAR: In a grim reminder of the growing menace of drug abuse in Jammu & Kashmir, 26 per cent of inmates in the Union Territory’s prisons are detained for drug-related offences.
The latest data released by the Jammu and Kashmir Prison Department reveals that out of 5335 inmates across various jails as of October 31, 2024, 1413 were arrested or detained under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, which is the primary legislation combating drug abuse in India. Of these, 23 are convicts, 1242 are under-trials, and 148 are detenues, according to data.
Among the under-trials, 28 are women. The age-wise breakdown of under-trials shows 277 are aged 19-25 years, 429 are aged 26-35, 325 are in the 36-45 age group, 173 are aged 46-60, and 38 are over 60 years old. All 23 convicts are aged below 60, as per the data.
Among the detenues, 40 are in the age group of 19-25, 59 are aged 26-35, 36 are aged 36-45, and 13 are in the 46-60 age group.
The statistics highlight the alarming spread of drug-related crimes, necessitating immediate intervention to curb this growing social and legal challenge. (KNO).
