Rising drug use by Dhangadhi youths reported in Paliya, India

Dhangadhi: The involvement of Nepali youths in drug use in the Paliya region of India has been increasing, according to local sources. A video that has gone viral on social media shows a Nepali girl and several youths consuming drugs in a sugarcane field.

Local sources report that the illegal trade of brown sugar, smack and medical drugs is taking place openly in Paliya. Although the local police carried out a major operation a few days ago, it is said that the situation has reverted to its previous state after some time.

In the video circulating on social media for the past few days, a girl claiming to be from Dhangadhi is seen consuming brown sugar along with some youths in a sugarcane field. During a conversation in the video, it is revealed that the girl went to Paliya with an Indian youth named Bunty. She is heard saying that she had no money and had taken pills. The youths seen with the girl, who says she lives in the customs area of Dhangadhi, are also heard engaging in obscene conversations.

Of particular concern is that Nepali youths can be seen staggering just a few steps away from the office of a police officer in Paliya, raising serious questions about the security situation, according to locals.

Offensive language has been used in some parts of the viral video. Locals claim that youths from Kailali and Kanchanpur in the Far West frequently go to border markets in India to consume drugs, where medical drugs and brown sugar are sold openly.

Indian citizens have also stated that drug trafficking is taking place in markets along the Nepal–India border and that security agencies have remained silent on the issue.