MAPUSA: Taking cognisance of O Heraldo reportage on the drug peddling issue in Siolim, the Mapusa Police swung into action, raided several spots in Sodiem panchayat jurisdiction and booked two persons under COTPA Act.
“We read in a newspaper that during the Sodiem gram sabha, it was highlighted that the youth are consuming drugs. The patrolling in the area will be increased and cases will be booked because we want to stop this activity completely. We raided the spot but did not find any drugs. We booked two persons under COTPA Act and released them,” Mapusa PI Paresh Naik said.
Sarpanch Deepa Pednekar said, “The panchayat had written to the police on several occasions on this issue. We had even asked the police to visit the site to identify the locations. There are around 10 spots where such illicit activities take place. We have requested the police to increase the patrolling.”
Cedric Fernandes, a villager, said, “We had made a complaint to the police that illegal activities, drugs and other illicit activities are taking place in the panchayat area. We had even blocked the road but still these youth continued to move around.”
“Bottles, packets are found at isolated spots. There are around 10 such spots where youth sit in bushy areas. We were relieved after the police came to spot and raided the area,” a panch said.
“The police need to investigate where these youth are getting these drugs. The backbone of these drugs has to be broken. We thank the police for taking action”, a local said.
O Heraldo in its edition dated May 1 had reported at the Sodiem Siolim gram sabha the members had hit out at the Mapusa Police, ANC and panchayat for not taking drug peddling seriously.
The members had alleged that school children were exploited by drug peddlers, and had mentioned certain black spots including Bancarvaddo, Maina, Pilimbi and Xell where there is rampant drug trade and substance abuse.
The members claimed that in a particular school in Siolim constituency, students were suspended after they were found consuming drugs in the school bathroom. Some were suspended when the banned substance was found in the racks. This menace could spread to schools in the whole constituency of Siolim including Sodiem as students from this village also study in nearby schools in the constituency. They said that drugs may reach other schools in the vicinity if peddlers are given free hand to operate in the area and the residents feared that in the near future that these students could venture into drug peddling and end up being addicts if the situation was not brought under control.
