A 23-year-old man was found dead near a water channel in Mahi Nangal village of Talwandi Sabo subdivision on Friday, with a syringe reportedly attached to his arm.The deceased, Rajpreet Singh, had been missing since Friday afternoon, and his phone was switched off. His family had been searching for him when his body was found on the outskirts of the village. Family members alleged that he died after consuming ‘chitta’.They said he had become addicted to drugs about six months ago and had also been admitted to a de-addiction centre for treatment.Rajpreet is survived by his widowed mother, wife and a one-year-old son. His father had died several years ago.His mother, Mandeep Kaur, broke down while speaking about the death and appealed to the government to stop the supply of drugs instead of merely providing financial assistance to families.“We do not need the government’s Rs 1,000 or Rs 1,500. Stop drugs from being sold in our villages and cities. We will collect Rs 1,000-Rs 1,500 ourselves and give it to the government,” she said.Mandeep said she had raised both her sons with great difficulty and had hoped that Rajpreet would become the family’s main support. “He had given up drugs, but consumed them again on Friday and died,” she said.Some village residents said drug use was widespread in the village and claimed that a number of young men had died after consuming drugs in the past. The SHO of Talwandi Sabo police station, Sub-Inspector Parbat Singh, said the matter would be probed.