Ferozepur resident dies of suspected overdose; drug peddlers booked, absconding

Police said that Gurbhej Singh alias Rocky (27) from Baggi Patni village of Ferozepur, left home on September 1. He told his brother Gurjit that he is going to Ludhiana to meet his sister Amandeep. He reached Ludhiana, but headed to Daulewala to buy drugs the next day, they claimed. The village is known for rampant drug trade and addicts from far-off places come here to buy cheap drugs.

Sub-inspector Jaswinder Singh, in-charge Daulewala police post, said Gurbhej’s body was found dumped at an isolated spot in Mander village on Tuesday.

The body was identified the next day.

“When we reached there, no villager was ready to reveal anything and the body could not be identified then. Later, we kept the body for identification and through social media, his family got to know and they contacted us,” said the SI.

He further said that Gurbhej’s family later identified two drug peddlers — Parminder Singh alias Pamma and his sister Sukho — and alleged that Gurbhej had previously bought drugs from them.

“Gurbhej probably died of overdose at their home and later, both siblings dumped his body on the intervening night of September 2 and 3. They are absconding and their home is locked,” said S-I Singh.

Gurbhej is survived by wife Ramandeep Kaur and a 9-year-old son.

His family said Gurbhej had been undergoing de-addiction treatment but had relapsed recently. He had been an addict for almost six years.

The FIR was registered against Pamma and Sukho under sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC at Kot Ise Khan.

Pamma is already booked in connection with another case under the NDPS Act and is out on bail.

Daulewala’s dark past

On August 28, the body of Gurminder Singh alias Vicky (27) of Bhogpur in Jalandhar, was found lying on the main road in Daulewala. He too had allegedly come to buy drugs.

Known for rampant drug trade, a special police chowki was established at Daulewala. Former Punjab DGP Suresh Arora also visited the village to counsel addicts and urged them to leave drugs.

Hundreds of FIRs are registered against men and women in this village for drug peddling. Many a times police parties who conduct raids there have been attacked by alleged peddlers.

Villagers also claim that despite the numerous drug deaths in the village, FIRs are not registered and no record of deaths is maintained.