Chandigarh, July 18 : At least 587 youth have died due to drug abuse in the 28-month tenure of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, BJP leader Vineet Joshi said on Thursday.

"The actual numbers would be between 2,000 and 2,500 as many families avoid reporting the deaths due to social stigma or police reluctance to register FIRs. Only one-fourth of the cases are officially recorded," Joshi told the media here.

Joshi also highlighted the Chief Minister's 'inaction', saying, 'Bhagwant Mann's seriousness in curbing drug addiction is evident with the fact that no state-level anti-drug programme was organised and even no anti-drugs advertisement was put up on the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking for the past three years.'

Detailing the impact of drug addiction in the state, he mentioned that not only young men, but children as young as eight years old, elderly people, girls, and pregnant women have also fallen victim to drugs.

Videos of young people, especially girls, consuming drugs are frequently going viral on social media, he claimed.

The BJP leader also pointed out the rampant availability of drugs.

'Drugs are being commonly sold in Punjab. Signage saying 'Chitta is sold here' is displayed openly and now even home delivery of drugs is reported. The current situation of drug selling is similar to ration stores, with people lining up to purchase drugs as they would for ration,' the BJP leader claimed.

/IANS