Working with mission mode to curb drug menace from society: IGP Kashmir

Srinagar, Dec 5: The Jammu and Kashmir have cracked a whip on drug peddlers and the terror associates across Kashmir Valley by apprehending the peddlers and seizing the immovable property of the "terror sympathisers."

In the last two days, the J&K Police have arrested seven drug peddlers while property worth lakhs of rupees of two "terrorist sympathisers" was also seized by the J&K Police.

Talking to Greater Kashmir, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir range, Vidhi Kumar Birdi said the arrests and registration of cases against the drug peddlers was outcome of the high end efforts of the J&K Police to curb the menace of substance abuse from the society.

"J&K Police is very harsh on drug abuse particularly in Kashmir. We cannot let this issue go easily. The registration of cases is the manifestation that we are highly sensitive and intolerant towards this drug menace," IGP Vidhi Kumar Birdi told Greater Kashmir.

He said the J&K Police was working with a mission mode to curb the menace from the society. "It is our continuous effort to tighten the noose against the peddlers and save our youth from this menace," he said.

He said besides taking action, J&K police is continuously raising awareness among masses about this issue. "It is our concerted effort. Rather the continuous effort of the whole government to curb drug menace," he said.

The IGP said a two day training session was also started with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Thursday to sharpen the investigation skills so that strict action is taken against the drug peddlers.

On Thursday, Sopore Police attached a single-storied residential house along with 16 Marlas of land in estate Nowpora Kalan Sopore.

Talking to reporters, Superintendent of Police (SP) Sopore Divya Dev said the property belongs to terrorist associate Mohammad Subhan Khan son of Abdul Satar Khan resident of Nowpora Kalan Sopore.

"The property was attached under Section 25 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA)," she said.

She said that in April 2024, a joint security operation was carried out in the Nowpora area of Sopore where two Pakistani terrorists were killed in that operation. "At that time, the house owner had given shelter to the Pakistani terrorist and today his residential house and 16 marlas of land have been attached," SP Sopore said.

She said the operation to attach the property was jointly carried out by the Sopore Police team and administration while following all protocols. The property was attached in connection with a case registered under FIR No. 105/2024 at Police Station Sopore.

In south Kashmir, the Shopian Police on December 5 of 2024 attached immovable properties of a terrorist and a terrorist associate under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA).

A double-storied residential properties attached were registered in the names of Mohammad Shafi Dar father of terrorist Adnan Shafi Dar, resident of Wandina, on land four marlas of land (Khasra No. 14) in wandina village and Abdul Majeed Koka, father-in-law of terrorist associate Sajad Ahmad Khah resident of Melhoura, measuring seven Marlas (Khasra No. 1347/ min) situated at village Melhoora.

"Both the properties are worth Rs. 50 lacs," the official spokesperson said.

"The attachment is linked to Case FIR No. 94/2024 of Police Station Zainapora and was executed in the presence of a duly constituted Police team and the executive magistrate," an official spokesman said.

Besides attaching property of terror associates, the J&K Police have arrested seven drug peddlers in the last two days from various parts of Kashmir.

In Srinagar, two drug peddlers were arrested in two days and vehicles were also seized in connection with case FIR No. 36/2024 under section 8/21 NDPS Act of Police Station Chanapora from accused person identified as Mudasir Ahmad Wani son of Gulam Rasool Wani resident of Stadium Colony, Chanapora.

"The seizure of vehicles acquired by illegal means through narcotics trafficking has been made under the provisions of 68 NDPS Act," an official spokesperson said.

Police in Anantnag also arrested a "notorious drug peddler" and recovered contraband substance from his possession after a checkpoint was established by a police party of Police Station Srigufwara at Nowshara crossing. The peddler identified as Mohammad Amin Zargar, son-in-law of Ghulam Hassan Ganie resident of Sirhama, was apprehended and 2.9 kilograms of a cannabis substance was recovered from his possession.