Kashmir Impulse Desk 

Srinagar, May 3 

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday described drug trafficking as “silent terrorism” aimed at destroying Jammu and Kashmir’s youth, and said drug peddlers will be dealt with strictly under law.

Speaking at TRC Football Ground in Srinagar during a padyatra under the “Nasha Mukt Jammu and Kashmir Abhiyaan”, LG Sinha said the anti-drug campaign had turned into a “jan andolan” within 22 days.

“This is not just crime. This is terrorism — silent terrorism. It is poisoning lives, weakening families, and bleeding J&K dry,” he said.

The LG said that narco-networks were linked to terror financing and cross-border syndicates, saying drug money is being used to fund terrorism and procure weapons.

He said authorities have registered 481 FIRs, arrested 518 drug smugglers, and attached 24 properties in narcotics-related cases. He added that nearly 300 driving licences have been suspended, five passports cancelled, 325 vehicles seized and over 3,000 drug stores inspected.

“Financial transactions of drug syndicates are being tracked. Each link of the network is being broken,” LG Sinha said, warning that absconders would face lookout notices and police databases would maintain records of offenders.

He urged religious leaders, teachers, women and youth groups to support the campaign and assist authorities in identifying drug networks.

While calling drug users victims who need treatment and rehabilitation, the LG said traffickers would face the strictest action, adding: “Where there is guilt, there will be no mercy.”