Srinagar, June 20 -- There was a time when the biggest fear in Kashmir was getting caught in crossfire. That fear hasn't vanished, but something else has crept in, something less visible, yet just as dangerous.

The Valley is now facing a different kind of war, one that's unfolding inside its neighbourhoods, classrooms, and hospital wards. It doesn't involve slogans or standoffs. It involves syringes, pills, powders, and silence.

Drug addiction is tightening its grip across Kashmir. The shift didn't happen overnight, but its presence is undeniable now.

Walk into a de-addiction centre in Srinagar and you won't just see statistics. You'll see teenagers with sunken eyes, young women battling withdrawal, and parents who never imagined their...