A grieving mother in Kapurthala has lost her fifth son to drugs, triggering anger among locals who allege narcotics are openly sold near police stations. Her pain and police denials have intensified debate on Punjab’s drug menace.
A tragic case from Punjab’s Kapurthala district has once again highlighted the state’s deepening drug crisis. A mother lost her fifth son to substance abuse, with the critically ill addict dying at Government Medical College, Amritsar, on Tuesday, just a day after being admitted by police and officials following media reports about the family’s plight.
Civil surgeon Sanjeev Bhagat confirmed the patient was suffering from hepatitis C, HIV, and fluid in his left lung. “He was put on a ventilator after reaching the medical college on Monday. On Tuesday morning, he showed signs of improvement but then started sinking and died around 3pm,” Bhagat said. He added that the body was sent home after arrangements were made, as the family’s resources were already drained.
Grieving Mother’s Pain And Police Denials
The victim’s mother collapsed upon hearing the news, repeating that she had now lost all five sons to drugs. However, Kapurthala police and the ruling AAP party denied her claims, stating that her children had died due to different reasons over the past eight years. Unable to contain her grief, she insisted, “All my sons were addicted to chitta.” She praised Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for helping with treatment but accused police of spreading false reports to undermine her pain.
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She recalled that her youngest son, who had crossed 30, was married despite his addiction. “We got him treated and he was fine for some time. I wanted my family’s name to continue,” she said. The elderly couple is now left to care for two grandsons and two granddaughters.
The incident has triggered anger among local women, many of whom alleged that drugs, especially “chitta,” are still being sold openly, even near the walls of the Sultanpur Lodhi police station. Residents claimed masked traffickers arrive on motorcycles, quickly hand over packets, and leave without fear of being caught.
On Monday, police carried out a search operation in Pandori Mohalla, where several women expressed outrage over the easy availability of drugs. Families handed over three addicts to police for treatment.
Local resident Charanjit Kaur said she lost two sons to addiction—one seven years ago and another three years ago. Several women in the neighbourhood shared similar stories of losing multiple sons, while others said their only breadwinners had fallen prey to drugs. One grieving grandmother pointed to her young grandchildren and pleaded, “Our sons are gone, at least save these innocent children.”
