More than three months after being established as a crack unit against drug trafficking and distribution in the city, the Anti-Narcotic Cell (ANC) is barely limping on, in the absence of staff and facilities. Set up as a special wing under the Central Crime Station, the unit has as many as seven cases, out of 18 registered so far, still under investigation. Inaugurated on February 23, 2012, the then police commissioner Mr A.K. Khan had declared that three different wings — specialising in technical, surveillance and investigation — would operate under different inspectors, all attached to the Cell.
It was also declared that the Anti-Narcotic Cell would comprise an inspector, six sub-inspectors, 10 head constables, and 30 constables. Nearly three and half months on, it has only an inspector, who also was posted recently. Asked about the shortcomings, police commissioner Anurag Sharma told this newspaper that no posting was made in the Anti-Narcotic Cell due an overall shortage of police personnel in the city. “We will resolve the issue once the new batch passes out from the Police Academy. All vacancies would be filled then,” Mr Sharma said. Besides keeping vigil on drug trafficking and related cases, the Anti-Narcotic Cell was set up also with an objective to educate people against the menace of drugs by organising various programmes. Drug-related cases registered in police stations across the city are now transferred to ANC for further action.