SRINAGAR: A court here on Monday sentenced a Pulwama resident to ten years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed Rs 1 lakh fine on him, a week after convicting him for possessing huge quantity of contraband including over a quintal of "Bangh leaves" and 1.2 kgs Charas,.    

“…convict namely, Abdul Hamid Bhat S/o Mohammad Ismail Bhat R/o Lelhar Kakapora is sentenced to rigorous imprisonment of 10 years and fine of Rs. 1,00,000/- (Rupees one lac only) is also imposed,” said Principal Sessions Judge  Pulwama Naseer Ahmad Dar.

“In case of default of payment of fine the convict shall further undergo simple imprisonment of three months,” the court said, as per copy of the quantum order, a copy of which lies with GNS, and ordered that Bhat shall be lodged in Special Jail (Correctional Home) Pulwama for serving the rest of the sentence.

“The period of detention already undergone by the convict during the investigation and trial of the case shall be set off.”

The court observed that a huge quantity of Narcotic drugs has been recovered from the house of convict. 

“The drug abuse and drug peddling is increasing in our society day by day. The legislature had incorporated stringent penal provisions in the NDPS Act with the object to curb this menace,” the court said.

The deterrence is sometimes need of an hour in order to send a message to likeminded people who are indulging in this menace, the court said.

“A murderer can be held guilty for murder of one or few human being but the drug abuse is  taking away precious lives of several human beings on daily basis especially youth of our society who are the most effected by this menace,” the court said, adding, “These accused persons who are indulging in the illicit trade of these drugs are actually responsible for the killing of human beings who die due to consumption of such drugs.”

 Hence, the court said, while passing the sentence upon such accused/convict found guilty under NDPS Act, no leniency should be shown, otherwise the purpose behind incorporation of stringent penal provisions in the Act would be meaningless.

According to the prosecution story, on 7 October 2018, the police station Kakapora received information from a reliable source that Bhat has concealed huge quantity of contraband substance in his residential house at Lelhara Kakapora, for illicit trade. On this, police filed FIR No. 42 of 2018 under sections 8/20 of NDPS Act. Later a police party under the supervision of DySP HQ proceeded towards Bhat's residential house and during the search they recovered nine bags of apparently Bangh leaves besides Charas powder like substance was found in one bag. The contraband substance was weighed in presence of DySP and was found 104.4 Kgs from nine bags while one bag was found containing 1.200 Kgs Charas. Bhat was subsequently arrested.

"The prosecution has been able to establish and prove its case against the accused beyond all shadow of doubt," the court had said while convicting Bhat on March 18, adding, "I accordingly hold the accused namely Abdul Hamid Bhat guilty of the offence punishable u/s 20 of the NDPS Act."  (GNS)

SRINAGAR: Two persons were apprehended with a whopping ninty kilograms of poppy-straw in Pahalgam area of Anantnag district, an official said on Tuesday.

The official told GNS that on receipt of reliable inputs, police laid a naka during which it intercepted a duo in possession of ninty kilograms of poppy-straw. 

Identifying the duo as Aijaz Ahmad Bhat, son of Mohammad Jabbar Bhat and Ubaid Gulzar Lone, son of Gulzar Ahmad Lone, both residents of Takiyabal Bijbehara, the official further said that a case vide FIR number 8/24 under section 8/15 NDPS has been registered in Police Station Pahalgam for further proceedings. (GNS)

SRINAGAR: Police and army on Wednesday said to have recovered 2.5 kgs of 'heroin' in Poonch district. 

 A police official told GNS that Army alongwith  Police launched  a joint search operation on "suspicion"  in Degwar Teerwan area of Poonch  district and recovered 2.5 kg heroin. Confirming it, a police official told GNS that a case has been registered and further investigations taken up. (GNS)

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Police Friday said to have arrested five drug peddlers alongwith contraband substance in Baramulla district. 

"Continuing its efforts to eradicate the menace of drugs from the society, Police have arrested 5 drug peddlers including a lady drug peddler in Baramulla and recovered contraband substances from their possession", reads a statement issued to GNS.     

"A police party of Police Station Baramulla headed by SHO PS Baramulla at a checkpoint established at Kralhar Baramulla intercepted a vehicle (Tata Venture) bearing registration number JK05D-3072 with five persons including a lady on board. During the search, 45 grams of Brown Sugar & 345 grams of Charas like substance was recovered from their possession", reads the statement. 

The accused have been identified as Sharik Ahmad Sheikh son of Ab Rashid, Sharif Ahmad Sheikh son of Bashir Ahmad, Irfan Ahmad Sheikh son of Mushtaq Ahmad, and a lady, all residents of Dewan Bagh Baramulla & Bakir Ahmad Rather son of Ab Qayoom Rather resident of Chandsooma Kanispora. "All have been arrested and shifted to the police station where they remain in custody."

"A case under relevant sections of law has been registered at police Station Baramulla and investigations have been initiated", reads the statement. 

"We urge the common masses that if you witness drug peddling or any other crime anywhere near you, feel free to contact nearest police establishment or dial 112. People are requested to cooperate with police in curbing the menace of drugs from the society. We reassure the community members that police will act tough against the criminals as per law", reads the statement further. (GNS)

SRINAGAR: District Police Baramulla Saturday destroyed a huge quantity of seized contraband substances, worth crores, in the presence of a Magistrate in Lassipora Pulwama. 

“Today, District Level Drug Disposal Committee Baramulla under the chairmanship of SSP Baramulla Sh Amod Ashok Nagpure-IPS destroyed a huge quantity of seized drugs and psychotropic substances under section 52A of NDPS Act”, said a police spokesperson in a statement issued to GNS.

“The seized contraband substances of 27 cases of Police Station Uri, Boniyar, Pattan, Kreeri, Kunzer & Tangmarg were destroyed. The seized substances include 6.303 Kgs of Heroin, 63.413 Kgs of Poppy Straw, 207 gms of Ganja, 652 gms of Cannabis, 600 gms of Cannabis Powder, 3.950 Kgs of Bang Bosa, 953 gms of Charas, 1.120 Kgs of Charas Powder & 127 gms of Fukki worth crores were destroyed at Kashmir Health Care System, IGC Lassipora in presence of constituted committee headed by DySP DAR DPL Baramulla, DySP ANTF Kashmir, DySP CID CI Pulwama, Executive Magistrate Kunzer, Reader to SSP Baramulla, Field Inspector of Pollution Control board, IC Godown and other Police officers of the district”, the spokesperson said.

“It is pertinent to mention here that in July 2023 Baramulla Police also undertook the destruction of seized contraband substances in 32 cases of various Police Stations of the district. The destroyed contraband substance includes 6.376 gms of Charas, 32.900 kgs of Poppy Straw, 14.289 kgs of Heroin & 18 gms of Brown Sugar worth crores.”

“The people of the area met with the officers during the exercise and thanked them for their hard work, professionalism, and commitment towards making the society drug-free”, the spokesperson said further. (GNS)

SRINAGAR: Authorities on Wednesday took into seizure over five kanals of orchard land belonging to a notorious drug peddler at Mawer area in Handwara of Kupwara district. 

An official told GNS that in a groundbreaking operation, the Jammu and Kashmir Police in Handwara alongside the Revenue Department struck a major blow against the drug trade by seizing illegally acquired assets of the notorious drug dealer at Audoora Mawer. 

“As part of the operation, the Apple orchards spanning over 5.4 Kanal, under Khasra Number 14, belonging to a notorious drug peddler Mohammad Amir Malik son of Mohammad Mukhtar Malik of Audoora Mawer was seized under the stringent Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act”, the official said. 

“We will continue with our operations to weed out the drug menace from Handwara”, the official remarked. (GNS)

SRINAGAR: Three alleged drug peddlers were arrested in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district and contraband substances were recovered from their possession, police said on Saturday.

They said a police party of Police Station Kunzer intercepted a person identified as Nazir Ahmad Malik alias SP, a resident of Wanigam at a checkpoint established at Chandil Wanigam, Baramulla.

“During search, 110 grams of contraband Charas-like substance was recovered from his possession,” a police statement said.

They said during questioning he confessed that he had brought contraband substances from one lady Afroza Begum of Sari Mohalla Singhpora Pattan.

“Upon his disclosure, a Police Party alongwith Magistrate rushed to the house of said lady and was apprehended. Contraband Charas like substances weighing 140 grams was also recovered from her possession,” police said.

Similarly, a police party of Police Station Baramulla at a checkpoint established at Drangbal, Baramulla intercepted one person identified as Abdul Majeed Mir of Bagh-i-Islam Baramulla.
“During search, 265 grams of contraband Heroin-like substance was recovered from his possession,” police said.

Accordingly, cases under relevant sections of law were registered at Police Station Kunzer & Baramulla and investigation has been initiated.

Police in Baramulla had urged the common masses that if they witness drug peddling or any other crime anywhere , they should feel free to contact the nearest police establishment or dial 112. (UNI)