After militancy; Police starts war against drugs in South Kashmir

Umaisar Gull Ganie

Anantnag, Mar 22: After militancy, the Jammu and Kashmir Police have intensified the operations against the drug peddling in South Kashmir as 200 drug peddlers have been arrested so far this year, official figures revealed Tuesday.

Figures accessed by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer revealed that in the year 2023 so far in South Kashmir, 206 drug peddlers have been booked in four districts which includes Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian, Pulwama and Police district Awantipora while 22 notorious peddlers have been detained under PIT NDPS Act.

Figures suggest that 151 First Information Report’s (FIR’s) have been registered in different Police Station of South Kashmir against people involved in drug trade. “This year till date, 140 drug peddlers have been arrested in Anantnag and Kulgam, 27 in in Shopian and equal number in Pulwama while 17 in Police district Awantipora,” the data shows.

As per the data, 59 FIR’s have been registered in Kulgam district, 50 in Anantnag, 19 in Pulwama, 13 in Shopian and 10 in PD Awantipora. “Twelve people have been booked under Prevention of Illicit Traffic (PIT) in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) in Shopian, five in Anantnag, three Pulwama and two in PD Awantipora”, data further reveals.

Talking to KNO, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Anantnag, Ashish Kumar Mishra said the list of accused persons, evading arrests for long have been handed over to other states for their involvement in Narcotic crimes. “Advance notice in terms of section 46 and 47 NDPS Act have been issued and got executed through all Police Stations”, he said.

He said with special directions to involve Sarpanches, Panches, Namberdaras, Chowkidars, respectable citizens and Imams to aware all the farmers with regard to illegal sowing of Poppy and Cannabis.

In an exclusive chat with KNO, Deputy Inspector General of police South Kashmir range Rayees Muhammad Bhat said fight against narcotics have been taken up and assets raised through illegal means are under scrutiny.

“All districts of South Kashmir have taken up the fight against narcotics and assets raised through such illegal means shall also come under scrutiny”, he said.

DIG urged people to cooperate and where the case merits, rehabilitation and alternative livelihood should be supported as far as possible by the community.