Even as the Punjab Government continues to project its ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ campaign as a major crackdown on narcotics, the suspected drug overdose death of a 20-year-old budding kabaddi player in Patiala district has once again exposed the grim reality in rural areas of the state.Gurpreet Singh, a promising kabaddi player from Dugaal Kalan village, was found dead behind a hotel on the Narwana Road, opposite the Patran bus stand, the local police confirmed on Monday.Though the police suspect he died after consuming drugs, the exact cause of death would be confirmed after the chemical examination of viscera samples.According to his family, Gurpreet had left home two days ago saying he was going to visit their relatives. When he didn’t return, the family began searching for him. His body was later recovered from an isolated spot behind the hotel, sending shockwaves through the village and the local sporting fraternity.The police said they received information about a youth lying unconscious in an intoxicated condition behind the hotel. A police team rushed to the spot and found him dead.The investigating Officer Jagdish Nain told the local media that the body was initially shifted to the Civil Hospital mortuary at Samana for identification. After photographs of the deceased circulated on social media, family members reached the hospital and identified him as Gurpreet Singh.The doctors conducted the post-mortem examination and preserved viscera samples for forensic and chemical analysis. “The exact cause of death will be established only after the chemical examination report is received,” the investigating officer said.The body was later handed over to the family after the post-mortem for cremation and performing the last rites.The police have initiated inquest proceedings under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).This incident has once again raised serious concerns over the continued availability of narcotics in the region despite the government’s anti-drug campaign, with local residents questioning how another young life — this time a promising sportsperson — could allegedly fall victim to the menace.