Moga (Gurpreet Singh): A major theft of buprenorphine, a controlled narcotic medication, has been reported at the Civil Hospital in Moga, with stock valued at nearly Rs 7 lakh found missing from the hospital’s drug storage facility.
Hospital staff discovered the theft during routine checks earlier this week, prompting immediate alarm due to the nature of the stolen substance. Buprenorphine, while used medically for pain relief and opioid de-addiction therapy, is frequently misused as a heroin substitute and is a key target for illegal drug networks.
According to hospital officials, unknown individuals broke into the medicine store by forcing open its lock. The theft appears to have occurred during night hours, and no security personnel were on duty near the area at the time. Moreover, sources confirmed that there were no functioning CCTV cameras monitoring the storage zone — a lapse that has drawn criticism from both health authorities and local residents.
Senior Medical Officer Dr. Sandeep Kumar was among the first to inspect the site after the missing stock was reported. Local police were immediately alerted, and a team from the City Police Station launched an investigation. Preliminary findings suggest the stolen medicines may have already entered the underground drug trade, given their high demand among substance users.
“This is not just a theft — it’s a serious breach in the handling of a highly regulated medicine,” said a senior official from the state’s Health Department. “We are treating the matter with utmost seriousness.”
Law enforcement is now combing through surveillance footage from nearby buildings and public areas in hopes of identifying suspects. Investigators are also interviewing hospital employees, particularly those with access to the medicine storage unit, to determine whether internal assistance played a role in the incident.
An internal probe by the Health Department is also underway to examine how such a large quantity of a high-risk pharmaceutical could go missing without detection, and why basic security protocols were not followed.
Buprenorphine falls under strict regulatory control in India due to its potential for abuse. Its theft not only raises public health concerns but also exposes significant administrative gaps in how government-run medical facilities secure sensitive medical stock.
Officials have pledged to tighten storage protocols, improve surveillance systems, and review staff accountability to prevent similar incidents in the future.
As the investigation continues, public pressure is mounting for swift action and transparency, especially in a region already grappling with widespread drug abuse challenges.
