A mosque committee in Kerala’s Beemapally, which was steadily gaining notoriety as a drug hub, has been able to bring down substance abuse cases through a series of stringent measures, including the excommunication of members.

A member of the Beemapally Muslim Jamaath Committee runs the risk of being removed from the panel for 10 years if caught with drugs and their family slapped with a fine of ₹50,000. The same punishment applies to anyone found helping them.

The initial five-year ban was extended to 10 years after it failed to rein in the addicts and traffickers.

Over the last four months, eight families, whose members were either involved in drug peddling or trafficking, have been removed from the panel. The Jamaath committee has 23,000 members.

A police officer told The Telegraph that the Beemapally ward under Thiruvananthapuram Corporation has a population of 41,000. He said the number of drug peddlers and traffickers had drastically come down in the past few months. J. Sudheer, the CPM ward councillor in Beemapally East constituency, agreed with the police officer.

“There was pressure from the local families not to impose the 10-year ban and ₹50,000 fine. But the Jamaath did not relent. When we get information about something fishy happening in the neighbourhood, the local Poonthura police are immediately alerted.

“Higher secondary and college students are mostly involved in drug abuse and trafficking. Last week, three wards — Poonthura, Manikyavilakam and Beemapally East — came together and constituted an anti-drugs committee. In April, we will hold a month-long campaign to revive Beemapally into a thriving business hub,” Sudheer told this newspaper.

Former imam Badusha Zaini, the general secretary of Beemapally Jamaath, said being a member of the panel was of paramount importance both socially and spiritually.

“Once a member is expelled, they can no longer vote in the Jamaath election, which is considered to be an issue of utmost pride. I joined as general secretary on November 17. Since then, eight families have been ousted from the committee over drug-related offences. We are hoping to make it a drug-free ward,” Badusha said.

S. Saju, the former station house officer of Poonthura police, said the Beemapally Jamaath had been doing a remarkable service to the society and the other districts should emulate it to ensure a drug-free state.

“My understanding is that it’s not only the illiterate or the semi-illiterate who are consuming drugs. During my seven-month stint at Poonthura police station, cops, Jamaath, the local residents’ association and the church had been engaged in a team effort to bring back the lost glory of Beemapally. We envisage a generation brimming with ideas and hopes for the future, not wasted by drugs,” said Saju.

‘Abstain from menace’

Himachal Pradesh governor Shiv Pratap Shukla on Saturday said that students should abstain from drug abuse, as it diminishes potential, disturbs families, and weakens our nation. Speaking at the 8th Convocation of Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences in Solan, he said: “As educated individuals, you must resist this menace, spread awareness, and lead by setting an example,” he said.