By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 4: A series of incidents in which drug users were rounded up and beaten by self-styled vigilante groups has triggered outrage in Meghalaya, with rights advocates calling the practice both morally indefensible and dangerously counterproductive.
Videos of the assaults, widely circulated on social media, have only added to public anger over the treatment of vulnerable individuals.
Barry Lesli Kharmalki of the Meghalaya Users Forum said the brutality showed how ill-prepared society remains to confront the drug crisis. He stressed that beating up addicts may seem like an easy solution but only serves to marginalise them further, adding that such responses reveal a lack of knowledge and expertise in handling the situation. He warned that Meghalaya risked moving 20 years backwards, recalling the floggings and public shaming of drug users that once took place in Manipur and Mizoram.
Kharmalki also criticised the government’s muted response, noting that authorities appeared more concerned with pleasing everyone rather than taking decisive action against vigilante groups. He compared the silence to passive approval and cautioned that such public humiliations mirrored “cleansing” drives of the past.
According to him, the violence will discourage users from seeking treatment and could worsen HIV and Hepatitis C transmission as addicts retreat underground.
He revealed that two to three FIRs had already been filed against those involved, but insisted that the state government must act on its own initiative if it is serious about addressing the crisis.
“There is now a climate of fear where simply being a drug user or a recovering addict can get you beaten up,” Kharmalki said, adding that the situation reflects a deeper moral decay. He expressed concern that if vigilantes continued unchecked, users might retaliate, escalating the crisis further.
Despite the grim situation, Kharmalki remained hopeful that with stronger political will, meaningful policies, and adequate rehabilitation centres, Meghalaya could still mount an effective public health response. He urged the government to treat the matter as an emergency, calling for immediate, coordinated action rather than symbolic gestures.
Meanwhile, Social Welfare Minister Paul Lyngdoh has also cautioned against vigilante-style activism. He stated that it was both illegal and dangerous for untrained individuals to directly confront suspected drug users or peddlers, as it exposed them to contaminated syringes and other risks. The minister warned that seizing drugs without authority could also leave vigilantes open to prosecution.
