676 drug smugglers arrested in a week: Punjab Police
Darpan News Desk IANS, 11 Jul, 2022 01:41 PM
Chandigarh, July 11 (IANS) Intensifying its war against the drug menace in the state, Punjab Police on Monday said it has arrested 676 drug smugglers and suppliers after registering 559 first FIRs under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 in the past one week.
A police spokesperson said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has given Punjab Police a free hand to wage a war against drugs and extensive drives are being launched to combat the menace.
Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav has ordered all Commissioners of Police to strictly adhere to the government's zero-tolerance policy against drugs and keep vigil at "drug hotspots".
The spokesperson said the police have recovered 5.57 kg heroin, 17 kg opium, 25 kg ganja, seven quintals poppy husk, 2.25 lakh intoxicant pills and capsules, etc, after carrying out cordon and search operations in drug-affected areas.
A total of 32 proclaimed offenders and absconders in the NDPS cases have also been arrested in the past week, he added.
He said the police busted a racket of making spurious drugs in Muktsar district. Drug peddlers were making duplicate heroin by mixing powder of 'patasha', a traditional sweet, washing soda, weed-killers and herbicides, both liquid and powder. The manufactured 'heroin', widely known as 'chitta', used to be sold among the poor.
Seven others were injured in the mishap, who have shifted to the BDK Hospital in Jhunjhunu. As per the locals, around 18 members of a family had gone to immerse the ashes of an elderly family member who passed away recently when their vehicle overturned.
Superintendent of Police, Rae Bareli, Shlok Kumar said that the main accused in the case is a minor and has been sent to a juvenile home, while six others, identified as Abhishek, Vikas Pasi, Mahendra Kumar, Hrithik Singh, Aman Singh and Yash Pratap are majors and they have been arrested.
Denying bail to the jeweller Dev Varma (40), Chief metropolitan magistrate Pankaj Sharma said in the Monday's order that some of the expensive jewellery in connection with the crime was yet to be recovered and pointed out the Delhi Police's stand in the matter.
Orthopedic specialist Dr. Satish Kumar Poonia working in Ringus CHC, his wife Sarita Poonia, son Raja alias Daksh (14), Poonia's brother-in-law Rajesh Devanda (35) and Rajesh's wife Reena died in accident. The search is on for the doctor's two-year-old daughter Rajvi and her brother-in-law's elder brother's 4-year-old daughter Gudiya in the canal.
As per the latest findings of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, the state's financial crisis is set to worsen with the debt likely to reach Rs 3.73 lakh crore by 2024-25.
The bench noted that the victims have been denied a chance of effective hearing and the high court overlooked relevant considerations. It further added that the tearing hurry shown by the high court merits the setting aside of bail order and remanded the matter back to high court for fresh consideration. The bench said the high court order cannot be sustained and is thus set aside.
