Mohali, Oct 4: On Dussehra, Punjab’s skies lit up with more than the ritual flames of Ravan, Meghnath, and Kumbhkaran. A fourth effigy—the “Demon of Drugs”—rose alongside them, its burning symbolizing the collective pain and defiance of a state long scarred by addiction.
The initiative, carried out under the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, turned the traditional festival into a symbolic call for a drug-free Punjab. Across Jalandhar and several other districts, police officers stood shoulder to shoulder with citizens as the effigy of the “Demon of Drugs” went up in flames.
For many officers, the moment was deeply personal. “As the effigy burned, it felt like a heavy burden from our hearts was being lifted,” said a senior police official. “Every day we fight this demon—sometimes by arresting traffickers, sometimes by helping addicts find treatment. But it always resurfaces. Today, we vowed that this fire will not die out—it will burn until every last drug network is reduced to ashes.”
Officials noted that the act was not merely ceremonial but reflected the Punjab Police’s emotional commitment to the ongoing War Against Drugs. The state government’s campaign has seen thousands of traffickers arrested, illegal assets bulldozed, and heroin worth crores seized in recent months.
“The Mann Government’s message is clear—this is not just a law enforcement effort, but a moral crusade,” a police spokesperson said.
“Just as Ravan’s effigy marks the victory of good over evil, burning the ‘Demon of Drugs’ stands for our collective determination to protect Punjab’s youth.”
For the people of Punjab, the sight of the effigy’s ashes carried a sense of shared catharsis. The flames, officials said, represent not an end but a beginning—a renewed commitment by both citizens and the police to keep the fire of reform alive until every trace of addiction is erased from the state.
As one officer summed up, “This was more than a ritual. It was a promise—to rebuild a vibrant, Rangla Punjab, free from the shadow of drugs.”
