Srinagar Struggles With Growing ‘Drug Hotspots’
Srinagar: On a hazy November afternoon, the Jhelum River flowed silently beneath the Old Zero Bridge, its dark depths mirroring the despair in the eyes of a young man teetering on the edge. His friends, high on drugs and fuelled by bravado, filmed his "heroic" act, oblivious to the thin line between dare and disaster. Fortunately, alert cops in civvies intervened, saving his life but laying bare a stark reminder of the invisible battle raging beneath the veneer of Srinagar's bustling streets.
"The teen's friends were filming his reckless antics on their cell phones while he was high on drugs, without giving a damn that he might not make it out alive. I, as a parent, place more guilt on myself than on the children,” Mohammad Yusuf from Rajbagh told Kashmir Observer.
"We see them every day," Yusuf lamented, his voice heavy with concern.
"They gather under the bridge, smoke weed, drink, their language laced with filth. It's a sight that breaks your heart," he added.
Old Zero Bridge is expected to become a major drug hotspot in the future, according to the locals living nearby, in case the administration does not enact a general prohibition on ‘unjustifiable’ gatherings of youngsters, particularly students, on a regular basis.
The problem isn't confined to one park or bridge. Whispers of "new hotspots" - Srinagar Club,Chinar Bagh Park Dalagate and Bund Residency Road hung a heavy cloud over the city's social scene.
"Students in hordes gather at these places, and the trend lasts until late in the evening. Some cause mayhem under the influence of drugs near the Srinagar Club, others could be seen injecting drugs beneath the wooden canopies," a resident, wishing anonymity said.
A teenager lost his life in September last year, following a scuffle with his friend at Chinar Bagh Park. The lone son of their parents, according to the reports, was stabbed by his friend.
Youngsters were observed abusing drugs and engaging in other criminal activities at Chinar Bagh Park at Dalgate, which the locals living in the adjacent localities claimed is also emerging as a major drug hotspot in the vicinity.
"We had requested that the park be closed by the authorities since it has turned into a refuge for drug addicts. Teenage lads smoking weed and consuming alcohol are common sights. Police conducted frequent raids after a kid died following a scuffle with his friend last year. Yet, there was no change that we could see on the ground,”