Nashik: Faced with increasing addiction to alprazolam, the Malegaon police have taken up series of steps to wean away a section of the local population consuming the anti-anxiety drug.Additional superintendent of police Neelotpal, who is in-charge of Malegaon, told TOI that they have roped in maulanas of Malegaon to help with the de-addiction drive.“Every Friday, these religious heads address those who gather for the namaz. They are creating awareness about how consuming this drug without doctor’s advice is dangerous for health. They equate consumption of the pill to having liquor and appeal to them to quit,” said the IPS officer.The police said they were the first to receive a tip-off regarding the illegal sale and consumption of the drug and conveyed to the FDA authorities to conduct the raids.“We called the FDA officials to join us in the raids. The tablets found during the raids were seized by FDA officials. The presence of an FDA official is a must as the case has to be lodged under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and FDA is empowered to undertake the panchamana in such cases,” added Neelotpal.The Malegaon police have requested their superiors to impress upon the state government to depute at least one drug inspector for Malegaon. According to the IPS officer, the involvement of some drug stores in Malegaon in the racket cannot be ruled out.He added that a part of the consignment is also being smuggled from a few places within and outside the state. “We are aware of these places. We would not like to reveal the identity of these places since our investigations are on,” he added.

Stay updated with all the Latest Nashik headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.