Say ‘Gudiya’ and get a pack of ganja
Minor girls standing near Kathpula railway overbridge holding little packets in their hands is a common sight in this area that lies at the junction of the old and the new city.
These kids, between 11 and 14 years of age, do not pester passers-by to buy their goods. Instead, they wait till they hear the code “Gudiya” from one of them. Then, one of the little girls moves to the side of the road and hands over a small packet to the ‘customer’ for Rs 50 or Rs 200.
Paralegal volunteer Fehmeeda Parveen, who shared this information, said this was the usual practice followed in the area to sell ganja (cannabis) and heroin.
“While probing the racket, I went to this area and said ‘Gudiya’. A little girl immediately handed me a small pack for Rs 50. The packet contained cannabis. It is being sold openly in Aligarh under the codename ‘Gudiya’ – even in front of the office of SP (city),” she said.
Parveen said she had submitted her report to the additional chief judicial magistrate (ACJM) and secretary district legal service authority (DLSA) Abhishek Kumar Chaturvedi for action. As a paralegal volunteer, Parveen reports to the DLSA.
“We will soon conduct raids in the area. The children being used in the racket will be sent to Childline,” said Chaturvedi while speaking to HT.
Parveen further stated that organised gangs were behind the drug racket operating in Aligarh. “Several local suppliers are involved. They arrive at the place at about 6 am and hand over packs of the drugs to the girls. As per my investigation, presently five girls and two women are involved in selling cannabis in the area,” she said.
A 4-gram pack of cannabis is sold for Rs 50 and a 3-gram pack of heroin for Rs 200. As per reports, the supplier pays the girls anywhere from Rs 10 to Rs 50 for every pack sold. “On an average, each girl sells about 30 to 40 packs a day. Their customers are mostly rickshaw-pullers and labourers,” said Parveen.
She added that, “The suppliers have links in Bihar and Jharkhand from where they receive supplies. Sources say that ganja and heroin packs are smuggled in by hiding them among other items on trucks headed for Etawah and Etah. From these places, local carriers supply the drugs to Aligarh.”
Parveen also shared how cunningly these girls evade arrest. “The girls sit by the side of Kathpula flyover. If GRP personnel ever try to catch them, they run away towards Rasalganj -a busy market from where the jurisdiction of Bannadevi police station starts. If Rasalganj cops try to nab them, they run back towards Kathpula,” she said, adding that while police had taken action in the past, the racket could not be busted in totality.
Social activist Saima Farooqi told HT, “I pass through this area daily. The girls keep ganja and heroin packs hidden under their cloths and they recognise their regular customers.”
On being contacted by HT, SP (city) Atul Srivastav said that he had received information about the “illegal business”. “The city police will chalk out a plan and action will be taken against the miscreants soon,” he said.