Pubdate: Sun, 29 Jul 2012
Source: Times of India, The (India)
Copyright: Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. 2012
Contact:  http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/453
Authors: Jhilmil Mukherjee Pandey & Krishnendu Bandyopadhyay

RIGHTS VIOLATION FEARS KEEP POLICE AWAY

KOLKATA: Drug addicts are the worst troublemakers in custody, say 
police. Most of these addicts roam about scot free because they might 
prove dangerous for fellow inmates if put behind bars.

"They might attack other accused. Often they hide razors under their 
tongues and slash their wrists at the time of withdrawal. At times we 
end up spending the entire day in a hospital so that the person in 
custody survives. We try to hand them over to drug rehabilitation 
NGOs. But most often the NGO do not give them much attention and 
care. Frankly speaking, we lack the infrastructure to deal with drug 
addicts," said an officer.

With neither the means nor the patience to deal with them, the 
addicts are found taking drugs out in the open on roads. They are 
equally aware of the psyche of police and the ways to scare them 
away. The moment police come closer to them, these addicts cut off 
their veins. In order to avoid violation of human rights, the men in 
uniform are forced to back off and let them free. "It is not that we 
don't arrest drug addicts who commit crime. But we take certain 
precautionary measures in the custody," said joint commissioner 
(crime) Pallab Kanti Ghosh,who ensured a number of such addicts were 
sent to drug rehab centres irrespective of the threat they posed.

During the anti-drug campaign, police picked up more than 20 drug 
abuse victims from Free School Street and Totte Lane areas and put 
them in drug rehab centres. But within 20 days of being admitted, 
they were let off. A stint at these centres for a few weeks made no 
difference to the addicts. They came out and went back to taking 
drugs with a renewed zeal.

Most of these addicts belong to the lower strata of the society and 
often indulge in petty crimes to finance their drug habits. "I cannot 
do anything.Withdrawal symptoms are killing." said Manzar Ali, a 
ragpicker, who survives on theft and odd jobs. "My family lives in 
Park Circus. I am ousted for my bad habit.We know we won't survive 
long. Death is the only relief we are waiting for," said Balai Raut, 
Manzar's friend.

Their entire earning is spent in buying drugs, also known as 'puria' 
colloquially.With no money left to buy food, most of them survive 
only on tea. "We get drugs which give us a kick on empty stomachs," 
said Michael, a regular at a Scott Lane corner. Mainak (name 
changed), an art college student who fell victim to this low-cost 
street drug abuse in the late Nineties, came back to the lair of 
Michael to 'chase the dragon'.

'Chasing the dragon' is the addict's term of taking the heroin puff 
on a thin strip of aluminum foil. "You light a match stick below the 
strip. The white powder will turn black and run along the aluminum 
strip. Chasing the blackened liquid for a strong puff is the 
favourite game of a heroin addict," saod Mainak. Addicts often become 
small-time criminals.

Incidents of eve-teasing, group clashes, assault and impulsive 
murders increase with drug abuse. With most drug users being in the 
productive age group of 18-35 years, the loss in terms of human 
potential is incalculable, said Brinda Basu,who has done extensive 
research on the impact of drug-abuse on the society.
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