BSF constable, two others held in drug seizure case

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 18

Acting into the investigations of the 11-kg heroin haul made yesterday, the Punjab Police today tracked down its trail leading to Pakistan-backed handlers and arrested a BSF constable, who was the main conduit, and two of his accomplices.

The police also recovered weapons sent from across the border along with both drug consignments. With today’s arrests, seven persons have so far been arrested in the case.

A .30 bore foreign-made pistol sent along with the drug consignment, a motorcycle and 745-gm heroin was recovered from Constable Barinder Singh, who was arrested from the BSF premises in Rajasthan in a coordinated operation by the Jalandhar rural police. Following his interrogation, two other accused, identified as Balkar Singh Balli of Srikaranpur, Ganganagar, and Jagmohan Singh Jaggu of Ganganagar, were arrested today. Another smuggled .30 bore pistol and Rs 8 lakh along with a Verna car have also been recovered from Balkar Singh.

Punjab DGP Dinkar Gupta said the BSF constable was instrumental in transferring the drugs across the Indo-Pak border and handing them over to the other accused. Constable Barinder Singh was presently deployed at 14-S Majhiwala Post, Karanpur, and is being subjected to joint questioning on the BSF premises in Rajasthan to establish his forward and backward linkages.

Heroin worth Rs 38 cr seized in Fazilka

Fazilka: Sleuths belonging to 136th Battalion of the BSF seized 7.528 kg heroin near Bare Ke border outpost in the sector. The drugs, wrapped in seven packets, are worth Rs38 crore in the international market. A pistol, a magazine and seven live rounds of ammunition were also seized. Surinder Mehta, BSF DIG, Ferozepur sector, said the consignment was seized following specific inputs. oc