On 9 June this year, an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) and a head constable were arrested in connection with the smuggling of drugs and other prohibited items into Ropar district jail. Prior to that, on 15 May, the Deputy Superintendent of Police (Security) at Sangrur jail was arrested for his alleged active involvement in drug smuggling.In July last year, 200 inmates lodged in various prisons were shifted to Bathinda Central Jail by the Special Task Force to curb mobile phone usage, as the facility is equipped with advanced jamming technology.Sources also revealed that there are currently around 36,000 inmates in jails across Punjab, against a sanctioned capacity of 26,000. The recent surge in inmate numbers is largely attributed to arrests made under the state government’s ongoing Yudh Nashian Virudh (War Against Drugs) campaign.A screening of jail inmates conducted in 2022 found that at least 47 per cent were addicted to drugs. Of the approximately 30,000 inmates screened, 14,000 were found to be drug-dependent, with many reportedly becoming addicts after entering prison. The most commonly used substances were morphine, tramadol and buprenorphine.
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