Muktsar woman loses 2 sons to drug overdose in 1 month; farmers’ body urges Punjab govt to save 3rd son

The fact that Charanjit Kaur’s youngest son who is 18 years old and Sahi Ram’s son in Muktsar district are also addicted to drugs explains the gravity of overdose cases persisting among the youths in Punjab for quite some years.

On Thursday farmers’ body under the banner of Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union visited Charanjit Kaur’s family, who are agricultural workers of Fatuhiwala village in Lambi constituency. The union demanded the authorities reach out to the family and provide immediate help to counsel the youngest son.

Lachhman Singh Sewewala, general secretary of the union, called upon the state government to look into the incidents of drug addiction and sought help for the family. “The family has lost their two sons. The government should come forward to save at least the third son, who needs to be admitted to a rehabilitation centre,” Sewewala said.

Kaur’s husband died of a heart attack two years ago. The couple had five children – three sons and two daughters. “Both daughters are married, however, all three sons had become drug addicts,” Sahi Ram said.

Ram, who works in the fields of a landlord, said the family has no money to put the third son in a rehabilitation centre. “The government needs to see what should be done to control the supply of drugs,” he said.

Sahi Ram himself put his elder son in a private rehabilitation centre in Haryana two weeks ago. “They charge Rs 12,000 per month. I am yet to pay them money. I have had not visited him as a tragedy happened at home,” he said

The family members say that both the deceased men were daily wagers who went to work two-three days a week and spent their earnings on drugs.

“This problem of drugs is not ending. The AAP government when it came to power in Punjab had promised to control the menace within two months but nothing has happened,” complained Kala Singh Singhewala, another member of the union.

The police are arresting the addicts who need help and not the main suppliers who are at large, he pointed out.