Chandigarh: The ruling Aam Aadmi Party on Monday rebutted reports of four deaths in a single household in Kapurthala due to drug abuse, asserting that the facts present a “very different and more nuanced picture”.Baltej Pannu, state general secretary, AAP Punjab, said, “It has come to the notice of the district police, Kapurthala, that a woman raised an alarm claiming that she lost four sons to drugs and appealed for saving her last son. However, thorough field verification revealed that these deaths occurred over a span of more than eight years and were due to entirely different causes.”Pannu claimed, “One son died around eight years ago due to an alleged drug overdose. Another son died around seven years ago due to fire and burn injuries. The third son died seven years ago in jail, where he was facing two criminal cases, including one under the NDPS Act. The fourth son died two years ago due to liver failure, as he was a chronic alcoholic.”Elaborating on the condition of the woman’s fifth son, the AAP leader said, “The son currently being referred to in the media reports is suffering from multiple health issues. A case was registered against him under the NDPS Act in 2023, and he was arrested with narcotic substances. He was subsequently convicted by the court in November 2025.”He added, “The individual is a drug abuser and has been enrolled at an OOAT centre for de-addiction treatment, where he was administered medication in March. Considering his serious medical condition, he has now been referred to Amritsar for specialised treatment.”“No recent drug deaths have been reported in the area. The attempt to portray this as a single, recent drug-related tragedy is misleading and not supported by facts. The Punjab Police have acted proactively in the same mohalla, registering four NDPS cases in recent days and arresting active drug peddlers,” said Pannu.MSID:: 130063856 413 |
