The Moga police have come under public scrutiny after a video showing a youth allegedly under the influence of drugs, staggering along the road from Nurpur Hakima Wali village to Dharamkot, went viral on social media.The video has once again brought Moga’s persistent drug problem into sharp focus, highlighting the challenge before the police in tackling drug abuse in rural areas of the district.Reacting to the incident, Superintendent of Police (D) Ajayraj Singh said the police were verifying the identity of the youth seen in the video so that appropriate legal action could be initiated against him.However, the police response also focused on the manner in which such incidents are reported. The SP appealed to social activists and members of the public to share information directly with the police instead of posting such videos online.“We appeal to social workers and the public to first share such information directly with the police rather than posting it on social media,” SP said. “Keeping the identity of the individual confidential allows us to arrange proper treatment for him and spares the person and his family public humiliation.”The police have presented the appeal as an effort to protect the privacy of drug users while facilitating treatment and rehabilitation. However, social activists and critics have viewed the move differently, seeing it as an attempt to discourage public exposure of the region’s ongoing drug problem.The episode has renewed the debate over how drug abuse cases should be brought to the authorities’ attention. While the police prefer confidential, direct reporting that can facilitate intervention and treatment, members of the public increasingly turn to social media to highlight social problems and alleged gaps in official action.The police have reiterated their appeal for public cooperation in tackling drug abuse in the district. Residents have been urged to share actionable information about drug peddling or drug abuse with the nearest police station rather than circulating such material on social media.