Tarn Taran, June 19: A 26-year-old youth from Valmiki Colony in Fatehbad village under the jurisdiction of Goindwal Sahib police station died of a suspected drug overdose on Thursday—the second such fatality reported in the locality in as many days, and the second within one family in two months.
The victim, identified as Sanju, is believed to have injected himself with narcotics on Wednesday evening and died shortly afterward, according to his father, Tilak Raj.
“Everything is available here—heroin, chitta, pills, you name it. My younger son died last night, and just two months ago, my elder son, Sarwan Singh, also died from the same poison,” said a visibly shaken Tilak Raj. “Children are doing drugs in this colony. Even minors. No one is stopping it. This place has become a drug den.”
The colony, located in a region already under scrutiny for rising substance abuse, has been witnessing increasing addiction-related deaths, sparking anger and desperation among local residents.
Another resident of the same locality, Partap Singh (40), died on Wednesday, also due to an alleged overdose.
Despite the mounting crisis, Deputy Superintendent of Police Atul Soni and SHO Inspector Prabhjit Singh remained unavailable for comment, neither responding to phone calls nor acknowledging messages.
Local families have demanded urgent police intervention and a crackdown on drug networks operating openly in the area. “We’ve lost two sons. How many more will have to die before anyone acts?” Tilak Raj asked.
The recurring deaths have highlighted not only the unabated drug menace in rural Punjab, but also official apathy and the lack of immediate response from law enforcement. The area, once known for its agrarian roots, is now grappling with a public health and social emergency.
