Shimla, March 1:
The Himachal Pradesh Police carried out a statewide crackdown under the Anti-Chitta campaign on Saturday, raiding 125 locations across Himachal Pradesh in a synchronized operation.
The drive is part of the second phase of the campaign launched by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to eliminate drug trafficking and push for a “chitta-free Himachal.”
Police said the raids were intelligence-based and conducted simultaneously in all districts, involving teams from the State Intelligence Department, armed police and district units. Drug detection kits were used and the entire search and seizure process was videographed.
The operation led to the recovery of 406 grams of charas, 19.236 grams of chitta (heroin), 124 grams of poppy husk, and over 4.65 lakh ml of illicit liquor. Six cases were registered under the NDPS Act and four under the Excise Act.
However, despite the large-scale raids and recoveries, no arrests have been made so far, raising questions about the effectiveness of the action against organised drug networks operating in the state.
Police claimed all proceedings were carried out strictly under the NDPS Act, BNSS, Arms Act and other applicable laws. The government has said the campaign will be expanded further with a zero-tolerance approach.
Citizens, particularly youth, have been urged to report drug-related activities to 112 or the nearest police station, with assurances that the identity of informers will be kept confidential.
While the police project the drive as a success, the absence of arrests suggests that the real test lies ahead—breaking the supply chain, not just conducting high-visibility raids.
