Atop a bulldozer, West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari destroys 2 lakh illegal cough syrup bottles

On Wednesday, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari demonstrated the state's anti-drug campaign by using a bulldozer to destroy nearly 2 lakh bottles of banned cough syrup in Balurghat, Dakshin Dinajpur district. The event took place outside the office of the Dakshin Dinajpur Superintendent of Police. Union Minister of State and Balurghat MP Sukanta Majumdar joined Adhikari for the occasion.

State Health Minister Shardwat Mukhopadhyay was also present during the program. In his inaugural visit to Balurghat after clinching the 2026 state Assembly polls, Adhikari emphasized the importance of protecting the country's youth from drug addiction. He stated, "My first message through this is that we have to bring the youth out of drug addiction." The Chief Minister referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi's campaign for a "drug-free India" by 2029, noting the initiative's relevance and timeliness.

Adhikari encouraged the youth to abstain from drugs, stating, "The first message of my programme is, we have to bring the youth out of addiction." This is a similar approach seen in Gujarat and Bihar, where illegal liquor bottles have been crushed using road rollers before. In July, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma also destroyed drugs using road rollers in his state.

During the past four months, joint operations by the Border Security Force (BSF) and the police along the Bangladesh border resulted in the seizure of Phensedyl cough syrup bottles. Adhikari explained that these drugs were allegedly intended for smuggling into the neighboring country. He added, "These drugs have been seized in a joint operation by the BSF and the police in these four months. We symbolically destroyed them. We will make West Bengal drug-free too—that is the message."

Adhikari warned those involved in the banned cough syrup racket, declaring, "Those involved in all these businesses will have to spend years in jail." Following the anti-drug campaign on Wednesday, the Chief Minister participated in several administrative programs in Balurghat, including a visit to the Balurghat Airport. He also announced plans to establish a medical college in the district.