Auto-rickshaw driver held with 60-gm heroin

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 23

The CIA staff of the city police have apprehended an auto-rickshaw driver with 60 gm of heroin. The accused has been identified as Sandeep Kumar (32), alias Mannu, a resident of Tobri Mohalla of Jalandhar.

As per police officials, they were on a routine patrol near Jail chowk, when they saw Mannu walking towards Basti Adda chowk. They said on seeing the police, he got scared and turned towards the opposite direction, following which police officers suspected something was wrong and immediately caught him.

“When the police team frisked him, 60-gm heroin was found from his possession”, police officers said, adding that a case under Sections 21,61 and 85 of the NDPS Act has been registered against the accused at Police Division Number 2.

CIA Staff in-charge Inderjeet Singh said the accused confessed that he was operating a tea stall earlier, and then started working as an auto-rickshaw driver. He resorted to drug smuggling as a means to supplement his income from being a rickshaw driver, which was insufficient. “He was purchasing drugs from some of his known smugglers at cheaper rates, and was selling further at higher rate”, he added.

Singh said raids were being conducted to arrest those named by Mannu, and further investigation was underway.