Anti-drug committee member attacked in Bathinda after complaining to police, hospitalised; probe on

In a yet another incident of attack on anti-drug committee members, a man was left seriously injured in Bathinda. A group of assailants attacked Vijay Singh, an anti-drug committee member on his way home. Vijay said that those who attacked him were suspected drug peddlers against whom he had earlier complaint to police.

Bathinda: Nearly a dozen unidentified assailants attacked a member of an anti-drug action committee in Punjab's Bathinda district. The man was taken to the government hospital in the district and is currently undergoing treatment.

The incident has come two days after another anti-drug committee member was killed in a similar attack. According to sources, Vijay Singh, an anti-drug committee member from Bir Talab village in the district was stopped by a group of miscreants while he was returning home from work at Vijay Chowk. The miscreants attacked him with sharp weapons and absconded after leaving him bleeding on the road.

As soon as the incident was reported, Bathinda police reached the spot and filed a case on the basis of Vijay's statement. Vijay said the assailants were suspected drug peddlers, whom he knew since he had earlier given their names to the Sadar police station. He said that despite complaining against them, police have not taken any action.

Anti-drug action committees have been set up in many villages of Punjab to keep vigil and prevent drug smuggling. Ever since the anti-drug committee was formed in Bir Talab village, there has been a 50 per cent decrease in selling of drugs. Vijay said that people like him were being targeted by the drug peddlers and demanded strict action against them.

Another member of the anti-drug committee, who brought Vijay to the hospital said that the committee members were being regularly intimidated by the drug smugglers. Despite repeated requests to the police, no action is being taken against the culprits, he said.

Dr Khushdeep, who treated Vijay in the government hospital, said that his condition is serious and after first-aid, he has been referred to AIIMS Hospital, Bathinda.

On Sunday, another anti-drug committee member, Jasvir Singh, was killed by assailants in Bathinda. Prior to which, in a similar incident, Harbhagwan Singh of Faridkot district was shot dead when he tried to prevent a suspected drug peddler from selling drugs.