Sher Bahadur KC

Two years ago, Puja Rana passed her School Leaving Certificate (SLC) examination with flying colors. Proud of her daughter´s accomplishment, her mother admitted Puja to one of the reputed colleges in Butwal for plus-two level studies in management.As her father had already passed away, Puja´s mother soon left for employment in Israel to pay for her education. Puja stayed with her grandparents to pursue her studies.

Everyone in the family had the notion that Puja would excel in plus two. But by the time she reached grade 12, she was already deep into drug addiction.

The grandparents were stunned and panic-stricken when police napped Puja for drugs possession some time ago. Drug addiction has now put a brake on her studies, rendering all her mother´s painstaking efforts to educate her daughter futile.

Deexa Saru is no different from Puja in many ways. Deexa also could not complete her plus two as she developed a drug habit.

Deexa was also left behind with her grandparents to continue her studies after her parents went to the UK.

In absence of proper parenting, many youths like Puja and Deexa are rapidly sinking into drug addiction. Previously, only boys abused drugs, but now many girls are also becoming addicted, reported police.

According to Area Police Office (APO) in Butwal, many girls have ended up abusing drugs under the influenced of boy peers who are already in the drugs habit.

Indra Bahadur Thapa of Tamnagar in Butwal was arrested red-handed while taking drugs. He said in his statement to police that there were five girls and 12 boys in his circle of friends who did drugs.

As contraband drugs are easily available in the Indian border market of Sunauli, the number of young drug addicts is escalating alarmingly, said Rameshowr Karki, inspector at the APO, adding, “Drugs like Nitrosun, Diazepam, Lupizesik and Phenergan are available in the border market.”

“Many girls have dropped their studies after they used the money provided by their parents for college fees and books to buy drugs instead,” according Karki.

The APO has started an anti-drug campaign in view of the increase number of youths taking to drugs in Butwal. The campaign kicked off February 12.

Published on: 12 March 2013 | Republica