BILASPUR, June 12 — In a bid to tackle the growing crisis of drug addiction among youth, the Bilaspur police have rolled out free urine drug testing kits across all police stations in the district, officials said on Wednesday.
The easy-to-use kits, capable of detecting six common narcotics including chitta (adulterated heroin), charas, opium, bhookki, and smack, aim to help families identify drug use early and seek timely intervention. Each test requires only 2–3 drops of urine and delivers results in under a minute — with any red column on the test indicating the presence of a specific drug.
“Urine drug testing kits have been sent to all police stations of the district so that the youth can be saved from the narcotics menace through early detection,” said Bilaspur superintendent of police Sandeep Dhawal.
According to police, the kit does not require any lab equipment and is structured into six columns — one for each drug. The result is immediate and easily interpreted, making it accessible even for concerned parents and guardians.
Dhawal said the district has procured 2,000 testing kits, with 200 distributed to each police station. While the kit has a market value of around ₹300, it is being offered free of charge to the public. “We want parents to come forward without fear or hesitation. Early detection can prevent future devastation,” he added.
The move comes amid alarming data. Of the district’s 176 panchayats, only 40 have reported no trace of chitta trafficking or use. In the rest, instances of buying and selling the drug have surfaced, painting a grim picture of widespread substance abuse.
Police records further reveal that drug seizures so far in 2025 have already surpassed the total for 2024. The quantity of hashish recovered has also doubled, underlining the scale of the crisis.
Officials say the test kit initiative is part of a broader campaign to control the drug epidemic, which has taken a severe toll on the social fabric and public health in the region.
