Early Times Report
Srinagar, Oct 15: Police intensified its crackdown on drug trafficking in Srinagar city by freezing and attaching residential properties and a vehicle worth over Rs 13.43 crore across multiple areas under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. The coordinated operation was conducted by police stations Khanyar, Pantha Chowk, Shalteng, Safakadal, Soura and Ahmadnagar as part of ongoing efforts to dismantle the financial networks allegedly linked to illicit drug trafficking.
Police said the assets were identified during financial investigations as properties allegedly acquired through proceeds of narcotic activities. Proceedings were initiated under Sections 68-E and 68-F of the NDPS Act, following prescribed legal procedures.
Police Station Khanyar accounted for the largest share of the action, attaching four residential properties and a Volkswagen Polo vehicle valued at approximately Rs 8 crore. The assets belong to Aijaz Ahmad Bhat, Aaqib Hyder Khan, Majid Ashraf Wani and Shabir Ahmad Bangroo. The attached properties include multi-storeyed residential houses in Khanyar and Safakadal.
At Pantha Chowk, police attached a residential house in Khanmoh valued at Rs 1.24 crore belonging to Saqib Bashir Bhat alias Sakpal, who is linked to multiple NDPS cases registered in Pampore, Banihal and Khrew.
Police Station Shalteng froze a two-storeyed residential house with one kanal of land in Panzinara, valued at Rs1.21 crore, belonging to Danish Ahmad Bhat.
Safakadal Police attached a three-storeyed residential house with an attic, valued at Rs 10.15 lakh, belonging to Faizan Firdous Khanday alias Farzan Pujj. The case involves provisions of the NDPS Act, the Arms Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
In the Hazratbal sub-division, Ahmadnagar Police froze properties valued at Rs 1 crore and Rs 80 lakh belonging to Adil Ahmad Patoo, resident of Shah Mohalla, Ahmadnagar. Soura Police also initiated freezing and attachment proceedings against a residential house in Umar Colony-B, Lal Bazar, valued at approximately Rs 1.18 crore, excluding land value, belonging to Khalid Nazir Chiloo.
Police said the action reflects its strategy of targeting the financial backbone of organised drug trafficking rather than limiting enforcement to arrests and drug seizures.
Reiterating its zero-tolerance policy towards drug trafficking, Srinagar Police said it would continue identifying and attaching assets allegedly acquired through illegal drug proceeds, in accordance with the law, to disrupt trafficking networks and protect the youth of Kashmir from substance abuse. |
