So touched was the audience that many addicts, including retired Army officers, principals, teachers and senior citizens, came on to the stage and pledged to bring life on an even keel.

"After defeating terrorism, we have to join hands to win war against drugs," said Lt Col GS Naat (retd). Sukhpal Randhawa, a village sarpanch, lamented political patronage to drugs-peddlers.

Rajeev, producer-director of the play written by Jatinder Brar, said this was the true story of a family that wished its son to become a doctor. But he fell in a bad company and adopted criminal ways to get drugs, he said.

The slow death of the young man in the climax drained every eye in the crowd. "This is the story of many houses in this region. With over 40 per cent youths in the trap of drugs, every third household is affected. Apart from controlling the supply line by cracking down on drugs peddlers, we have to cut the demand by sensitising parents, teachers and social groups," said Border Range IG Rajpal Meena, the brain behind the initiative.

"Plays will be staged in rural areas, schools, panchayat ghars and village sports ground," he said, adding that this was the second show of the play, which was earlier staged at Chogawan in neighbouring Amritsar (Rural) police district.

"We are preparing a team of our personnel who are daily rehearsing at the police ground," he added.

Batala SSP Rajendera Dhoke, who organised the play, said rural areas would be the primary focus. "Both poor and rich are affected. Apart from our efforts to check drug supply, we also want to educate people," he added.

However, intellectuals, Lachchaman Singh and Harbans Singh, both retired professors, said the Police Department would have to wage a war against the powerful lobby of drugs smugglers.