15 cops fail dope test in Amritsar
FALLOUT The exercise was undertaken after 25 policemen were identified for suspected drug abuse during annual medical checkup
AMRITSAR : Punjab Police have found 15 cops positive in dope test conducted at Swami Vivekanand Government De-Addiction Centre in Government Medical College (GMC), here. In a drive to rehabilitate drug addict cops, the police have identified 25 suspected cops for drug test.
“15 policemen were found positive during their dope tests in the last two days,” said Dr PD Garg, professor at the psychiatry department of GMC.
Senior superintendent of police (SSP-rural) Vikramjit Singh Duggal said, “In the recent time, several cases of drug abuse by policemen were reported from Amritsar rural. Taking strict action against them, we had dismissed some policemen while others were arrested. The action was to send strong message to the cops involved in drug abuse and paddling.”
He said, “During the annual medical checkup of the police personnel, as many as 25 cases were found to be suspicious wherein a need was felt for further medical checkup to confirm the suspicion.
Subsequently, a follow up medical checkup was recommended in those cases and 15 policemen were tested positive in it, he said.
He said, “We have made a plan for their rehabilitation. These drug addict cops will be treated at Out Patient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) clinics. These cops will be also given yoga and meditation classes at the Civil Lines here.”
If the cops do not abstain from drugs during the rehabilitation process, we will take stricter action against them, said the SSP.
COPS-DRUG PEDDLERS NEXUS SUSPECTED
A senior police official said, “It is quite natural that if these cops have been tested positive, they must have got drugs from peddlers.”
SSP Duggal said, “Preliminary investigation has revealed that these cops were in initial stage of taking drugs. They also told us that they were not taking drugs currently. However, we will investigate if they have any link with peddlers. If any cop is found guilty, strict action will be taken against them. Initially, we are considering them as victims.”
On Tuesday night, Amritsar rural police had issued a press release stating that they had identified around 100 policemen for drug abuse. However, Duggal dubbed the figure in the release as wrong saying that the press release was released without permission. We have identified only 25 such cops, he added.
COP SUSPENDED FOR GIVING PROXY URINE SAMPLE
One cop was arrested for giving proxy urine sample for his dope test. “The doctors had told us that the cop had given his wife’s urine sample for the dope test. The cop has been suspended. We are committed to provide quality police services to the public,” said the SSP.
In August, special task force (STF) for drugs had arrested Two ASIs—Avtar Singh and Jorawar Singh posted at the Gharinda police station in Ajnala sub-division—with the recovery of 10 gm and 5 gm heroin from their possession, respectively. The STF had claimed that the ASIs were drug addicts and were peddling drugs in the area for the last few months.
ASI Avtar Singh had committed suicide during the STF’s custody by shooting himself.
We have made a plan for their rehabilitation. These drug addict cops will be treated at Out Patient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) clinics. They will be also given yoga and meditation classes. VIKRAMJIT SINGH DUGGAL , Senior superintendent of police (SSP-rural)