Shimla | January 18:
In a grim wake-up call, authorities in Shimla have admitted that poor investigation and weak prosecution are allowing drug traffickers and sexual offenders to walk free, emboldening criminals and pushing the district deeper into a crisis of rising substance abuse and sexual crimes.
Speaking at a workshop on NDPS, POCSO and SC/ST Act cases, IGMC Deputy Medical Superintendent Dr Pravin S. Bhatia revealed disturbing trends among youth.
“Substance abuse has taken shocking forms. Young boys are now boiling sanitary pads and consuming the liquid as a drug.
Injectable drug use is increasing and under the garb of drug doses, girls are being sexually exploited,” he warned, calling the situation “an emergency that needs immediate intervention.”
The disclosures came during a one-day special workshop organised by the Shimla district administration at Holiday Home, bringing together SDMs, DSPs, SHOs, prosecutors, health officials and social welfare departments – the first such inclusive exercise in the district.
‘Low conviction rates give criminals confidence’
Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap minced no words while addressing officials. He said criminals fearlessly mint money because they know they can escape the law.
“When cases reach courts and accused are acquitted, public faith in administration collapses. If we cannot deliver justice in Devbhoomi, we must seriously introspect. We chose this profession. If we don’t perform honestly, society suffers,” Kashyap said.
He stressed that rising acquittal rates are encouraging repeat offenders. “If people don’t fear the law, crime will only increase. Every criminal must know that wrongdoing will definitely lead to punishment,” he asserted.
Kashyap called for strong foundations in police investigations, saying weak case diaries and sloppy evidence collection make cases collapse in court. “This workshop is about fixing the system, not just discussing problems,” he said.
‘Biased investigations kill cases’
Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi admitted that most NDPS and POCSO cases fail in court.
“During my 27 years in service, I’ve seen that investigations are often rushed, biased or pre-judged. An officer should never decide the outcome before investigating. FIR allegations are not gospel truth. Our job is to verify facts, not prove charges blindly,” Gandhi said.
He warned that preconceived notions by investigators damage cases beyond repair. “If officers only try to prove FIR allegations instead of seeking truth, the real facts get buried. That is why courts reject our cases,” he added.
He said the district’s conviction rate of 26 per cent is better than the national average, but admitted that delays in the chain of investigation remain a major concern.
He pointed out that late expert opinions and witnesses turning hostile are among the biggest hurdles in securing timely justice.
Stressing the core spirit of policing, the SP said investigation is meant to be a truth-finding exercise and not a tool to manufacture evidence.
“Officers must conduct probes with a broad-minded and open approach, following facts wherever they lead,” he asserted, underlining the need for professional and unbiased investigations to improve conviction rates further.
Hard data exposes the rot
District Attorney Sudhir Sharma presented shocking conviction statistics: NDPS Act (2021–2025).Total cases: 391
Convictions: 98, Acquittals: 293, Conviction rate: just 26%
POCSO Act (2021–2025)
Total cases reaching court: 138
Convictions: 49
Acquittals: 89
Conviction rate: 35%
He highlighted wild fluctuations:
2022 and 2023 saw high conviction rates,
But in 2024 and 2025, conviction rates crashed to 27%, raising serious questions over investigation quality.
“These numbers clearly show systemic failure,” Sharma said.
Experts stress scientific evidence
The workshop featured special lectures:
ASP Mehar Panwar on POCSO provisions
Forensic expert Dr Vivek Sahajpal on DNA profiling
CMO Dr Yashwant Ranta on MLC and postmortem procedures
Officials were told that forensic evidence, medical reports and proper documentation are crucial to secure convictions.
Administration vows fast-track justice
DC Kashyap said all departments – police, health, prosecution and social welfare – will now work jointly to: Improve case documentation, Ensure scientific evidence collection, Conduct regular audits of investigations, Monitor trial progress, Fix accountability of investigating officers
“Our priority is justice in the shortest possible time. If we fail, criminals win,” he said.
Bigger question
Despite tall claims of making Himachal “drug-free”, the ground reality exposes a broken system where criminals roam free, victims lose hope and investigators escape scrutiny.
Unless investigations become professional, unbiased and evidence-driven, authorities admit no crackdown will work – and Shimla’s youth will continue paying the price.
