Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha. File.
| Photo Credit: Imran Nissar
Days after senior J&K Minister Sakina Itoo advocated against demolition of properties and sealing of houses during the anti-drug campaign, J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday (May 12, 2026) said the campaign “will chase every rupee and every asset and ensure the harshest punishment”.
“We will chase every rupee, every asset, and shell company of drug traffickers, ensuring the harshest punishment for those who are destroying our youth’s future,” said Mr. Sinha, while speaking at a drug-free campaign in north Kashmir’s Baramulla.
Mr. Sinha said the past 31 days saw over 2,35,000 awareness and outreach events in J&K. “Nearly 700 drug smugglers and peddlers were arrested. Action has targeted every financial transaction of drug cartels, seizing crores in properties built from drug money by major smugglers,” said the L-G.
He said 300 driving licenses and over 400 vehicle registrations linked to drug smugglers have been recommended for cancellation in J&K. “We have inspected more than 3,300 drug stores, and 150 licenses have been suspended for violating the norms. Nearly 3,000 CCTV cameras are now installed at the drug stores across Union Territory,” he added.
With Mr. Sinha hardening his stand, the J&K police on Tuesday (May 12, 2026) stepped up actions against the accused in Kashmir. “The J&K police demolished an illegally constructed cowshed raised on State land by a known drug peddler namely in Baramulla’s Pattan,” the police said.
In south Kashmir, the police said two illegal shops constructed over State land by notorious NDPS accused were demolished “in accordance with law”. “Strict action against drug peddlers, habitual offenders, and persons involved in illegal encroachments over State land will continue in close coordination with the civil administration,” the police said.
In Srinagar, an immovable property, comprising a double-storey residential house along with land worth approximately ₹1.2 crores, was attached situated at Gasoo Hazratbal. “During the course of investigation, the property was identified as illegally acquired property linked to illicit drug trafficking activities,” the police said.
According to police, a residential house and several parcels of land were attached in Baramulla district of alleged drug dealers.
Meanwhile, Mr. Sinha said his administration will partner with religious leaders and social groups to create community immunization initiatives against drugs in 5-10 high-risk hotspot areas per district.
“Under the Family Fortress Initiative, which will rely on strong family and community bonds for the ultimate shield against drug addiction, every school, college, and place of worship in J&K should host a weekly family dialogue on drugs. These dialogues should be open, honest paired with local campaign audits to spot and fix gaps,” the L-G said.
Referring to 3,000 calls received by the tele-manas counselling centre in Kashmir, Mr. Sinha said, “We don’t shame diabetes patients into health or cure cancer victims through stigma. Likewise, we must treat and rehabilitate addicts with dignity, reconnecting them to society’s mainstream through resolve and compassion”.
The hardening of stand by the L-G comes days after J&K Minister Ms. Ittoo advocated against demolitions of properties. “In Kashmir, you are demolishing properties and sealing and attaching houses. If a youth is involved and the property in his father’s name, it is being sealed. There were more demolitions and attachment of properties in the Kashmir valley compared to Jammu, where there are more such cases,” said Ms. itoo. She said taking bulldozers to people’s doorstep “was not helpful”.
Published – May 13, 2026 07:29 am IST
