On a balmy Saturday morning, amid intermittent sunshine and light showers, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha walked through the streets of Shopian, about 50 km south of Srinagar, as tens of thousands of people joined him in a pad yatra held as part of a 100-day anti-drug campaign.

Just a few years ago, such a scene would have been difficult to imagine. Once regarded as an epicenter of militancy in south Kashmir, Shopian was a place where political leaders often struggled to hold public meetings, and election rallies were conducted under heavy security with sparse attendance. Saturday’s massive turnout reflected the dramatic changes the district has witnessed in recent years.

An official said that between 45,000 to 50,000 people participated in the anti-drug rally and pledged to work for a drug-free society.

“The turnout was unprecedented. I have not seen such a large gathering in the town in many years,” said 60-year-old Mohammad Ashraf, a participant as he walked along the rain-soaked street where the LG Sinha led the march. 

The administration launched the Nasha Mukt Jammu & Kashmir campaign on April 1 as part of a broader effort to dismantle the drug economy, counter narco-terrorism and reduce substance abuse through a combination of enforcement, rehabilitation and public outreach initiatives.

According to official data, agencies in Jammu and Kashmir seized 19,345 kg of drugs in 2022, followed by 10,307 kg in 2023, 5,219 kg in 2024 and 4,019 kg up to November 2025.

Since April 11 this year, about 897 drug smugglers and peddlers have been arrested. Authorities have also recommended the cancellation of passports of 18 traffickers. Driving licenses of 382 traffickers and peddlers have been revoked, while registration of 386 vehicles have been cancelled. In addition, 49 immovable properties have been seized and 45 demolished as part of the crackdown.

Officials estimate that nearly one million people in Jammu and Kashmir—around 8 per cent of the population—are believed to use drugs such as cannabis, opioids and sedatives.

“We will work with full commitment and determination to uproot narco-terrorism and dismantle its entire ecosystem. We will not rest until drug traffickers and their handlers are driven out and isolated from society,” Sinha said while addressing the gathering.

He said voices were rising from every street and locality, demanding that not a single drug trafficker should be spared.

Sinha said the campaign, launched last month in Jammu, has now transformed into a mass movement.

“Narco-terrorism is a deliberate attack on the soul of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

He added that the poison of drugs was diverting youth from the path of progress, while proceeds from narcotics are being used by militant groups to procure weapons that were later used in violence.

“The drug smugglers have built their dark empire on drugs, and our security forces are working to dismantle it,” he said.

He said cross-border drug trafficking had for years been used by narco-terror networks to destabilize society from within.

“Drug proceeds funded arms purchases, while the spread of narcotics in towns and villages eroded the social fabric and weakened community morale,” Sinha added.

Published on May 23, 2026