Chattisgarh Police's Campaign For Drug-Free Society Receives International Recognition, Know More

'Nijaat' (riddance), a campaign launched by Chhattisgarh police in July 2021 to curb the smuggling of drugs and illegal liquor, and persuade addicts to quit the habit, has received widespread national appreciation and now international recognition. The success story of the singular campaign aiming for a drug-free society has now become a motivation for many policing communities. The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), the world's largest and most influential professional association for police leaders, is one such institution that has identified and selected the campaign by Chhattisgarh police for 'Leadership in Crime Prevention.'

The prestigious IACP 2022 Awards for the category 'Leadership in Crime Prevention' was endowed upon the anti-drug & illicit liquor campaign 'Nijaat' of Chhattisgarh police, according to a tweet by the Korba Police.

पुलिस अधीक्षक @santoshsinghIPS द्वारा राजनांदगांव जिले में चलाए गए नशा विरोधी #निजात अभियान को अमेरिका के प्रतिष्ठित IACP अवॉर्ड 2022के लिए चयनित किया गया है ।#Nijaat #international_award @ChhattisgarhCMO@NMBA_MSJE@MSJEGOI@MoHFW_INDIA@WHO@CG_Police @sanjeevIAS_CG pic.twitter.com/j3sKjIKGUj

— Korba Police (@PoliceKorba) December 25, 2022

Lessons In Policing

The de-addiction drive was launched earlier in July this year as per the directive by Chief Minister (CM) Bhupesh Baghel to take up strict action against drug peddlers and bootleggers in the state. The project, which has been carried out under the leadership of the Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Santosh Kumar Singh has found success to a significant level in districts of Korea, Rajnandgaon, and presently in Korba.

Prior to international recognition, the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, included the campaign among the thirty best smart-policing campaigns in the country.

Earlier this year, the National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson had expressed concerns over rising narcotic sales and drug abuse in Chhattisgarh. She conveyed that in her interactions with women of the state, she understood that the youngsters were growingly up becoming victims of the drug menace. There were about 156 cases (related to women), ten taken up suo moto by the NCW after multiple media reports.

Even as per police records, nearly 35 per cent of the crimes documented were associated with illicit drugs and liquor in the district. Among these, a large section of those found addicted to the drugs was found to be minors. As this data continued to pose a concern for law enforcement agencies, they initiated the campaign to keep a check on the smuggling of drugs and illegal liquor and help addicts to quit the habit and lead a normal life.

Towards A Drug-Free Society

With the onus of seizing substance abuse from the state, Nijaat came along with a three-pronged strategy - to take stringent action against businesses of illegal drugs or narcotics, a spirited public awareness campaign, and extend support in the forms of counselling and rehabilitation as a de-addiction engagement process. For the same, police also took help from several residents who had overcome their addiction and knew peddlers in and around the state.

The police also spread awareness effectively around the districts through wall paintings, posters, and banners. According to a report by the Hindustan Times, the campaign soon drew widespread attention, with celebrities being roped in to convey the message and appeal to people to quit through video messages.

IPS Singh noted that the campaign yielded results much sooner than expected as "local public representatives, as well as the common people, have taken it forward in their areas on their own." More than 200 public awareness programmes have been conducted under the drive in one district, and hundreds of drug addicts have been helped and convinced to quit the habit.

Under the same umbrella, about 152 people have been arrested in 126 cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and 822 arrests have been made in 935 cases pertaining to the sale of illegal liquor. While it would take a longer time to see the conclusion of the initiative, it has seen favourable results in many districts and has positively brought down the graph.

Also Read: 'Nijaat' Campaign In Chhattisgarh's Korea Rids Addicts Of Drugs, Alcohol Within 6 Months