Security to be provided to drug enforcement sleuths
Soon police personnel will be deployed with the state enforcement officers to protect them from drug dealers when they are on duty. A senior official said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare last week cleared a proposal of providing the security personnel.
This comes after the Drug Consultative Committee (DCC) stated they have received several cases where the life and safety of drug regulators were endangered while they were on duty.
“The issue was raised over the consideration of the proposal to provide security measures to the drugs regulators engaged in the enforcement activities of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and rules made thereunder,” said an official.
All such incidences are making it unsafe to work individually by the regulators without adequate protection. DCC deliberated the matter and suggested that, Drug Control department of every state should be empowered with the police force of their respective state in line with Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Haryana etc. to protect the drug regulators from the threats.
An official from the Food and Drug Administration, Maharashtra said there were repeated cases in news where intimidation, threat, looting and lynching with the drugs regulators have come to the knowledge. “In one of the recent cases, Dr Neha Shourie, drug officer, FDA-Punjab was killed in the office due to her actions against the unaccounted and unauthorised sale of habit forming drugs by a chemist,” said the official.
“Drug Controllers may request their respective State Authorities for making such arrangement or ensure that in every district at least one police officer is assigned for support in regulatory workrelated to Drugs and Cosmetics Act and other Act being enforced by State Drugs Control authorities,” he added.’
Punjab drug inspector Dr Shoree, posted at a government-run laboratory, was shot dead in March, this year, while working in her office in Kharar on Friday by a chemist who later committed suicide by shooting himself.