Nurpur cops crack down on inter-district drug peddlers

The Nurpur district police have tightened the noose around inter-district drug smugglers in the Jawali subdivision by unearthing a racket operating from Mandi district.

Twenty cases under the NDPS Act have been registered against drug peddlers. During 2024-25, the local police have arrested 31 persons and recovered ‘charas’ and heroin from them.

As per police information, drug smugglers from Mandi district have created a local network in the Jawali subdivision. The Nurpur police had started working on a strategy from December 2023 after detecting huge quantity of ‘charas’ from local drug peddlers. The drive was expedited from April 2024.

Nurpur SP Ashok Ratan told The Tribune that after smashing local drug network, the police had launched a special drive to disconnect inter-state drug supply chain. “The district police achieved a major breakthrough recently by arresting four drug smuggling accused from Mandi district and seizing over 8.7-kg ‘charas’ in two separate operations within a week,” he said.

During a naka at Kandwal on the Pathankot-Mandi National Highway on October 11, a Nurpur police team stopped an Alto car bearing temporary number (T-1025-HP-1132L). On searching the vehicle, the team recovered 6.44 kg of ‘charas’.

The accused were identified as Anu Kumar, son of Dhani Ram; Suresh Kumar, son of Sukh Ram; and Ram Lal, son of Kali Ram, all residents of Mandi district. A case under Sections 20 and 29 of the NDPS Act was registered against them.

On October 6, the Jawali police had intercepted a Tata Indigo car (HP76-1375) at Batees Meel on the same highway and seized 2.256 kg of ‘charas’ from Bharam Singh, a resident of Tikkar (Balh) in Mandi.