The investigating agencies probing the Sushant Singh Rajput death case haven’t had the inkling of an idea at the preliminary stage that they would be drawn into a vortex of a different kind which would take the investigation into quite a different path. While the main mystery that is what caused SSR to die, suicide or else still remains unsolved, popping up of several names from the glamour world which throws apparently convincing hints of their involvement into the case’s drug angle has taken all by surprise. Gossips and rumours about the ‘bonhomie’ between Bollywood and drugs have flown in incessantly since years, but the Pandora’s box that has just been opened is unprecedented and how many more names will hit the ‘box office’ is a matter of national talk. While it’s up for the sleuths to unmask if the reel life idols are really the otherwise in their real lives, the unfortunate death of the talented actor has compelled the nation to face the reality that the menace of drugs do has a penetrating presence in so many layers of Indian society.

Any major crackdown against cartels is always a matter of great satisfaction to any socially-conscious citizen. The recent case of busting of an inter-state drug racket by West Siang police is one such. The success of the case can be attributed to the professional competence of law enforcers who handled the case and the meticulously crafted intelligence network(s) that contributed to success. Hunting down the evil comprehensively has always been a daunting task even for the most efficient of anti-drug machineries and it has been observed that arrest of peddlers, even though worth celebrating, is certainly not the end of the battle. The chains are unmistakably lengthy and to get to the bottom, it’s a question of undiluted applicability of the assuring proverb ‘the long arm of the law’.

It must be mentioned that in Arunachal but for the CBOs, NGOs and various socially active organisations who have been active partners in the fight all throughout, the menace by now would have taken irreversible proportions. Here it’s also pertinent to add that the state’s youths must be ensured a conducive atmosphere which would deter them from taking drugs. The main factor which contributes to hopelessness i.e. unemployment must be addressed seriously and this done, a good part of the battle can be won easily.

It’s also unfortunate to observe that there is hardly any serious focus on the menace itself by the national mainstream media and its exclusive duty, it seems, is to feed the audience with ‘breaking news’ informing which bigwig is the next in net. Societal responsibilities have quietly been overwhelmed by the lure of sensationalism.