Smugglers and bags of poppy husk recovered from them in Ludhiana on Friday. Tribune photo Two held with 35-quintal poppy husk, two Scorpios & a truck25 May 2019 | 7:58 AMWhat could be termed as a serious lapse in the jail security system as smugglers and gangsters are still operating from prisons? Despite tall claims of Jail Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and senior officials regarding tough measures being taken to prevent the use of mobile phones inside jails, the menace continues.
[ + read story ] Nikhil Bhardwaj
Tribune News Service
Ludhiana May 24
What could be termed as a serious lapse in the jail security system as smugglers and gangsters are still operating from prisons? Despite tall claims of Jail Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and senior officials regarding tough measures being taken to prevent the use of mobile phones inside jails, the menace continues.
In a fresh case that exposed the functioning of Jails Department, the Jagraon police busted a drug smuggling network that was being operated from Faridkot jail premises.
Two smugglers were arrested with 35 quintals of poppy husk. The police also recovered two Scorpios (SUVs) and one truck from the smugglers.
The smugglers, who were acting on directions of their counterparts lodged in jail, have been identified as Gurparamjit Singh, alias Pamma, of Patiala, and Gurdeep Singh, alias Bakri, of Swaddi Khurd.
In a press conference here today, the SSP, Ludhiana (Rural), Varinder Singh Brar, said secret information was received that Pipal Singh and Nishan Singh of Moga, who were notorious smugglers and presently lodged in Faridkot jail, were running drug smuggling network from the jail premises through their aides Bachitar Singh and Mannu of Moga.
On directions of smugglers, the duo deployed Gurparamjit and Gurdeep to supply huge quantity of poppy husk to their clients, the SSP added.
Accordingly, a naka was laid near Chakkar village where two Scorpios driven by Gurparamjit and Gurdeep, respectively, were stopped for checking, he said. During search of the SUVs 14 quintals of poppy husk was recovered, he added.
Later, during interrogation of the smugglers, they disclosed that a truck loaded with narcotics was parked in Barnala, he said. A police party immediately conducted a raid and recovered the truck loaded with 21 quintals of poppy husk, he added.
Hence, 35.35 quintals of poppy husk was recovered from the smugglers, he said.
Five days police remand of the suspects was sought from the court so that two more smugglers Bachitar and Mannu, who had links with their counterparts in the jail, could also be arrested, he added.
The two smugglers were lodged in Faridkot jail from the past four years after they were caught with large quantity of drugs, he said.
“We will also bring jailed smugglers Pipal and Nishan on production warrant so that entire smuggling chain could be busted,” he added.
The SSP, however, said, “It is yet not clear whether the smugglers are using mobile phones inside the jail premises to get in touch with their aides or any other source. I will write to Faridkot jail officials to do surprise checking of smugglers to find out if they are using mobile phones.”