By Bhaga Warkhade

A Crumbling Foundation: The Youth in Peril

While positive influences from cinema and society take time to bear fruit, negative trends are quickly adopted especially by the youth. As parents get caught in the daily grind of jobs and businesses, and students move away from home in pursuit of academic and career goals, the communication gap between children and parents has widened.
Children spend more time with peers than with their families. Unfortunately, peer influence is not always positive. As one English author aptly said, “Don’t tell me about your child; show me their friends, and I’ll tell you about them.”

Young people, especially those living away from home, often fall into the trap of seeking emotional connections, sometimes with the wrong crowd. Peer pressure drives experimentation with substances. In some cases, new members are even bullied or coerced into addiction under the guise of acceptance. If they refuse, they are mentally harassed or subjected to ragging.

The Changing Face of Drug Abuse

Gone are the days when drugs were referred to as "powder," "pudi," or "myaa-myaa." Today, drug communication has evolved to use specific emojis and codes over messaging apps, making it hard for even vigilant parents to detect. Substances like opium, marijuana, charas, brown sugar, heroin, LSD, and MD have now become worryingly accessible.

Pune, once called the "seat of learning," is now heading in the direction of Punjab, a state infamous for its drug crisis, even depicted in the film Udta Punjab. The resemblance is haunting.

Over the past decade, Pune has witnessed drug seizures and busts across all demographics from posh areas like Koregaon Park to slums in Patil Estate, Kasewadi, Lohianagar, and now expanding to Kharadi, Kondhwa, Kalynaninagar, and Vadgaon. Dealers use high-end vehicles, electronic scales, and coded emojis to operate under the radar, often changing these codes frequently to avoid detection.

Hidden Networks and International Links

Investigations have revealed that drug networks span across states like Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh, and even involve foreign nationals, especially those on tourist or work visas. Despite large-scale raids and seizures, top-level drug lords remain untouched, making most police actions seem like temporary surface-level crackdowns.

The growing involvement of teenagers and youths in violent crimes like murder, theft, and gang attacks, often under the influence of drugs, is a testament to how deeply the problem has rooted itself. According to police data, there has been a sharp increase in the percentage of juveniles involved in serious crimes in the last two years.

The Numbers Tell a Grim Tale

The Indian government recently revealed in Parliament that over 3.75 lakh illegal drug-related cases were registered between 2019 and 2023, involving seizures worth over ₹86,000 crore. Ports alone accounted for ₹11,193 crore worth of drugs seized in 17 cases. The year 2021 saw the highest number of seizures.

Despite these figures, the conviction rate is shockingly low. From 2019 to 2023, the conviction rate in NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) cases remained below 0.1%. In 2019, there were 74,620 arrests; by 2023, that number had jumped 78% to 1,32,954. Yet, only 104 convictions were recorded in 2023. This wide gap between arrests and convictions raises serious doubts about the efficiency and integrity of law enforcement and the judiciary.

A System Compromised

There is growing concern that law enforcement itself is compromised. Many officers are allegedly accustomed to the monetary benefits of the drug trade, and raids are often more about optics than outcomes. Though the Supreme Court has directed police to avoid revealing suspects’ identities before formal charges are filed, details are routinely leaked to media, a glaring example being the arrest of former minister Eknath Khadse’s son-in-law in Pune.

Moreover, arrests are often made even before toxicology reports confirm drug use, undermining legal procedures. This mirrors the infamous Aryan Khan case, where the Narcotics Control Bureau failed to produce credible evidence, yet the accused spent weeks in custody.

A Cultural Crisis Demands a Cultural Response

Pune stands at a dangerous crossroads. Once the cradle of education and tradition, it is now struggling against an invisible war that’s destroying its youth. The fight against drugs requires more than arrests, it demands honest policing, societal awareness, active parenting, psychological support, and judicial integrity.

Only when institutions work in sync with transparency and purpose can Pune reclaim its legacy as the true "Cultural Capital" of India, and not the next Udta Pune.

000