By Jairaj Chhetry
There are moments in a society’s life when silence becomes dangerous, and looking away becomes an act of harm. Meghalaya has reached such a moment. Today, what we face is not just a law-and-order challenge, not just a social problem—it is a slow, silent threat creeping into the lives of our children, our families, and our future.
And nothing captured this painful truth more sharply than the report published on (November 21, 2025) in The Shillong Times. It revealed something that shook even the strongest among us—children being used as couriers in the drug trade. Children… the ones we pray for, the ones we send to school with hope in our hearts, the ones whose dreams brighten our evenings.
To imagine a child carrying drugs instead of schoolbooks… a child trembling at a trafficker’s command instead of playing with friends… a child trapped in a world they don’t understand. It hurts. It frightens. It compels us to ask whether we, as a society, have protected our young enough. This is not just a newspaper headline. It is a cry rising from the heart of Meghalaya.
And as I write this—with a worried mind but a hopeful heart—I pray that we still have time to shield our children before more are lost.
A State at the Crossroads: A Future at Stake
The report was not an isolated story. It was a symptom of a deeper wound. On (November 22, 2025), another analysis revealed an even more distressing truth: Meghalaya is no longer just a transit corridor for narcotics; it has become a major consumer.
Let that sink in. Half of the drugs entering our State stay within our State. Heroin is now the most consumed substance. Shillong alone absorbs 30% of these trafficked drugs. And beneath these numbers lie faces—young faces—of boys and girls who might have laughed a little louder, dreamed a little bigger, lived a little longer if someone had protected them sooner. More than 1,150 peddlers have been arrested. Police are upgrading technology. Volunteers are stepping forward. The battle is ongoing.
Yet the enemy has slipped inside our homes, our schools, our neighbourhoods. To admit this hurts.
But refusing to admit it will cost us our children. The First Places Children Should Feel Safe Are Now Shaking. When traffickers begin using children, it reveals not only their cruelty but also our cracks.
1. Homes Struggling Under Pressure
Parents are overwhelmed—by work, financial strain, emotional burden. Some days are so heavy that small signs go unnoticed. Traffickers know this. They wait for the weak moments.
2. Schools Handling More Than They Can Carry
Teachers are working hard, often with too many responsibilities. Some schools lack counsellors who can detect early behavioural changes.
3. Neighbourhoods Losing Old Bonds
Once, neighbours knew one another and watched over each other’s children. Now, life has become hurried. Streets feel more anonymous.
4. Youth Under Emotional Strain
Unemployment, peer pressure, loneliness, confusion, the lure of “trying once”—all these create tiny openings that traffickers push their way through. The UNODC warns that 13 out of every 100 drug-abuse victims in India are below 20. Thirteen children diccted to substances means thirteen homes in tears and thirteen futures slipping away. This is a human crisis. A wound that needs healing—not blame, not shame, but healing.
The Hard Numbers We Cannot Ignore
Throughout 2025, The Shillong Times published a series of reports that together reveal a frightening picture.
(April 23) – Over 1,000 arrests and 564 NDPS cases, but only 15 convictions in five years.
(August 9) – Drug use starting as early as age 10.
(August 21) – Drugs worth Rs 412 crore seized 1,061 arrests.
(October 13) – More arrests in West Garo Hills for psychotropic drugs.
(October 21) – Meghalaya officially shifts from transit to User State.
(November 20) – Children used to sell drugs.
(November 21) – Half the drugs entering Meghalaya consumed locally.
(November 26) – National spotlight on trafficking networks connected to North eastern routes.
Behind every statistic, there is a life, a family, heartbreak.
Government’s Response: Strong, Sensitive, and Urgently Needed
Amid the darkness, there are also rays of hope. The Government of Meghalaya has taken steps that reflect both firmness and deep human understanding.
1. De-Addiction Centres in Every District
These are lifelines for families drowning in fear and confusion. They say, “You don’t have to fight alone. We are with you.”
2. Children Treated as Victims, Not Criminals This approach is vital. It allows children to: heal; rejoin school;receive therapy; regain confidence; rebuild childhood
3. Awareness in Schools
Teachers trained to identify early signs. Parents included in awareness sessions. Students guided gently toward safe choices.
4. Speeding Up NDPS Trials
Swift justice sends a message that traffickers will face consequences—and that children will be protected. The government’s actions show a rare combination of discipline and compassion.
Both are needed. Both are essential.
The Real-Life Heroes: Police, NGOs, Faith Bodies, Community Leaders
Meghalaya Police — Standing Between Children and Danger. Day and night, they walk into the unknown. They conduct raids in dark, risky corners. They chase leads that could endanger their own lives. They face threats so that our children may be safe. Often they work without applause, without rest. Their courage deserves recognition.
NGOs — Quiet Angels of Healing.
They sit with mothers who cry silently. They counsel children who don’t know whom to trust. They visit homes where hope is almost gone. They track recovering youth long after others forget. NGOs repair hearts the law cannot reach.
Faith Institutions — The Soul’s Shelter
In moments of fear and confusion, many young people turn to churches and faith communities. They provide: emotional support; spiritual reassurance; guidance; a sense of belonging
Their compassion is a light in dark corridors.
Dorbar Shnongs & Nokmas — Protectors of Community Strength
They know every lane, every family, every child. Their vigilance is priceless:night patrols; emergency meetings; youth guidance; coordination with police; alerting communities to danger. Without them, much of the battle would be lost before it began.
Where We Must Improve: Honest Reflections
To win this fight, we must admit what still holds us back: parents fearing stigma instead of seeking help; schools lacking trained counsellors; youth without sports fields or activity centres;mental health treated as shame; communities avoiding difficult conversations;neighbours staying silent even when something feels wrong. Nothing changes until the truth is spoken.
Shillong: A City Under Growing Pressure
Shillong is changing faster than we realise. More people, more movement, more vulnerability.
Yet the city has only 12 Village Defence Parties. For a growing city with rising drug activity, this is frighteningly small. Motphran, once filled with pride and vibrancy, now feels overshadowed.
Parts of West Shillong—areas full of family warmth—are being targeted quietly. We cannot let more corners fall into silence.
A Path Forward: Six Steps to Protect Our Children
1. Drug Education in Every School- Knowledge is armour. Children must learn the truth early.
2. Community Vigilance
Let churches, neighbourhoods, women’s groups, and youth organisations form protective circles.
3. Healing, Not Punishment
Children who fall into the trap need comfort and guidance—not fear.
4. Mental Health Support Without Shame
Let counselling become normal, accessible, and respected.
5. Purpose and Dreams for Youth
Sports grounds, music rooms, art workshops, skill centres—these keep young hearts strong.
6. Zero Tolerance for Traffickers
Those who exploit children must face firm, uncompromising action.
A People’s Movement: Because Every Child Matters
The government is trying. Police are fighting. NGOs are healing. Churches are comforting. Community leaders are guarding.
But the battle cannot be won unless families rise.
Let parents speak openly with their children. Let youth protect each other like siblings. Let neighbours speak out. Let community voices be louder than traffickers’ whispers. Drug networks grow in silence. They crumble when people stand together.
My Final Appeal to Meghalaya
I write this with a heart that is heavy, but not hopeless. Let not a single child be lost because we kept quiet. Let not one trafficker succeed because we were afraid to act. Let this be the moment when Meghalaya rises as one— as parents, neighbours, believers, leaders, and citizens. We will fight this battle because our children are worth every effort. And we will win because the future of Meghalaya deserves nothing less.
(The author is a retired Headmaster and a 2022 state Awardee in the field of education)
