The Grooming Kashmir (TGK) de-addiction centre, founded by psychologist Laila Qureshi, is battling the silent epidemic of drug abuse plaguing Kashmir, offering holistic treatment for addiction amid societal stigma and resistance.
Turmoil and tourism are the screaming headline-makers in Kashmir — a green, saucer-shaped valley surrounded by snowy Himalayan mountains and more than 100 lakes dotting its highlands and plains.
But for over a decade, Kashmir has been grappling with a silent war — a devastating crisis of drug abuse that has gripped its youth. The crisis, often hidden behind closed doors, is now coming to light through the efforts of a determined woman and her de-addiction centre in Srinagar.
“I used to drive a tourist taxi, and was severely addicted to heroin,” said a 31-year-old, reflecting on the path that led him to the de-addiction centre’s in-patient department.
He continued, his voice heavy with the weight of his past. “Before I came to this rehab, I was using heroin continuously for two years. I had no time for my family, my wife and daughter. I would drive throughout the day, take heroin in the evenings, and shut myself up in a room at night.”
His story is one among thousands in Jammu and Kashmir, a region where nearly a million people — a staggering 8 percent of the Union Territory’s population — are active drug users, as noted by a parliamentary standing committee in March 2024. The situation is dire, with unofficial estimates suggesting that users range from as young as seven years old to as elderly as 70.
The Grooming Kashmir (TGK) de-addiction centre was founded in 2019. It has since then become a harbinger of hope for many.
“Our journey so far has been about many things, but most importantly, it has been about gaining trust,” said Laila Qureshi, the centre’s founder and a psychologist licensed by the British Psychological Society.
Trust has been hard-won, especially in a society where drug addiction is shrouded in stigma.
“It took a long time to gain people’s confidence. Another reason is that this is the first private rehab in Srinagar run by a woman,” Qureshi said.
TGK, located in Srinagar’s Padshai Bagh neighbourhood, offers in-patient care for up to 40 men, with five of them often receiving treatment for free or paying what they can. The centre’s mission is clear: to provide holistic treatment and self-development opportunities to recovering addicts.
Qureshi’s treatment plan, the first of its kind in Kashmir, was devised in consultation with senior psychologists from Britain. It begins with detoxification, where narcotic medication is administered under the supervision of a licensed psychiatrist, helping patients heal physically. The next phase focuses on psychological treatment, following a thorough psychometric evaluation.
“Mental health and drug abuse are interlinked,” Qureshi explained. “We usually see that patients with a family history of mental illness tend to use narcotics, and drug abuse further worsens depression, anxiety and other mental health disorders.”
Once diagnosed, patients participate in both group and individual counselling sessions. For many, these sessions are a lifeline.
“I look forward to the group sessions because they make me feel like I am not alone,” said a 26-year-old. “There are people who have suffered just as much as me, but now they are recovering, like me.”
The final phase of treatment involves working with the patients’ families, along with life-skills training and job-placement assistance.
A 28-year-old man, who once ran a family business into the ground due to his addiction, is determined to rebuild his life. “When I’m discharged from here, I want to get back and rebuild my business. I will take some training for it as well,” he said.
The financial burden of addiction is crippling, with the average heroin user in Kashmir spending Rs 88,000 a month, according to a recent BBC report.
A young housewife from Budgam knows this all too well. Her husband is currently undergoing treatment at a government de-addiction centre in Srinagar.
“It came to a point where I had to sell my jewellery and beg for money from my in-laws to get him treated,” she recalled. “I had to move back to my parents’ house because our neighbours practically outcast us.”
The stigma surrounding addiction is a barrier not just for the addicts but for those trying to help them. Qureshi knows this better than anyone. “We were evicted from three previous localities and rejected by around 200 landlords, just because we wanted to run a de-addiction centre,” she said.
Even in their current location, TGK had to erect a tall concrete wall around its premises and cover its balconies with tin sheets to ward off prying eyes. “It is really hard to eradicate bias and inculcate empathy in people. My patients deserve to breathe fresh air, and not be caged up in this facility,” Qureshi said.
Despite the challenges, there has been some progress. In recent years, TGK has received support from Jammu and Kashmir Police, who often redirect addiction cases to them.
“We recognise that the opioid menace is a big problem in Kashmir, and we have been working to eradicate it. Organisations such as TGK can certainly benefit society by dealing with addiction cases sensitively,” said a police officer, who wished to remain anonymous.
Yet, the road ahead is long and fraught with obstacles. Qureshi is currently working on creating a treatment facility for women addicts, but she knows the challenges are immense.
“Society acknowledges that men are abusing drugs. They never want to face that women are doing it too, and their apathy is making it more difficult for women to get treated,” she said.
The criticism Qureshi faces for working in what is perceived as a “male field” does not deter her. “They said what kind of woman spends so much time amongst men, or you have bitten more than you can chew, you can’t control such violent men,” she recounted. But her most cherished moments come when her patients regain their family’s trust.
The 31-year-old at the in-patient department is beginning to see a glimmer of hope. He shared one such moment. “A month ago, I had my first family session, and my daughter came to see me. When she ran up to me and hugged me tight, I broke down, sobbing. That day, I realised that I have to fight for my family, not against it,” he said. His eyes reflected a new sense of purpose.
(Names of addicts withheld to protect identities.)
The lead image on top shows Laila Qureshi, who founded The Grooming Kashmir (TGK) de-addiction centre in 2019. (Photo by Sukanya Roy)
Sukanya Roy is a freelance journalist based out of Kolkata. She is a 2023 Village Square Fellow.
