Srinagar, June 16 (KNS): In a major crackdown against the narcotics trade as part of the ongoing Nasha Mukt Jammu & Kashmir Abhiyaan, Srinagar Police have attached immovable properties valued at over ?1.5 crore belonging to two notorious drug peddlers. The actions, carried out under the stringent provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, are aimed at striking at the financial roots of the drug mafia operating in the valley.
Official sources told PTI that in the first action, Police Station Batamaloo attached a three-storey residential house worth approximately ?80 lakh at Nundresh Colony, Muslimabad. The property belongs to Sikander Firdous, son of Abdul Rehman Ahanger, a resident of the same locality. The accused is facing trial in FIR No. 18/2022, registered under various sections of the NDPS Act and the IPC, including charges of criminal conspiracy and forgery.
In a separate operation, Police Station Kralkhud attached a single-storey house valued at around ?70 lakh, belonging to Ghulam Hassan Bhat, son of late Abdul Rahim Bhat, a resident of Mirgund Kanalwan in Bijbehara, Anantnag. Bhat is an accused in FIR No. 20/2022, booked under Sections 8/20/29 of the NDPS Act.
Sources further informed that investigations have conclusively established that both properties were acquired through proceeds derived from illicit drug trafficking.
Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelThe attachment orders, issued under Section 68F of the NDPS Act, have been forwarded to the competent authority, SAFEMA, New Delhi, for further proceedings. Meanwhile, the orders prohibit the owners from selling, leasing, or transferring the properties or creating any third-party interest in them.
A senior police officer said the crackdown is part of a sustained strategy to dismantle the financial infrastructure of drug networks. "By attaching properties earned through illegal means, we are ensuring that offenders do not benefit from their crimes. This will serve as a strong deterrent," the officer added.
Srinagar Police have reiterated their commitment to eradicating the menace of substance abuse from society and have urged the public to come forward and share any information related to drug peddling. The department has assured that the identity of informants will be kept strictly confidential. The public is being actively encouraged to join the fight against drugs to realize the vision of a drug-free Jammu and Kashmir. (KNS)