by Ovais Gull
Srinagar: Amidst the ‘war against drugs’, a drive against the drug menace by the government, the twin districts of Kashmir including Srinagar and Kulgam have topped the list of number of cases registered by the police in previous year.
A data available with The INS mentioned that 52 cases each were registered in Srinagar and Kulgam followed by 40 cases in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
The data further added that a total of 317 cases under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act were registered in the year 2018 with Kargil district in Ladakh region witnessed only one case followed by three in Leh district.
According to the data, only five cases under NDPS act have been registered in Ganderbal district in Central Kashmir while as 20 cases each were registered in Central Kashmir’s Budgam and north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.
The data accessed by The INS said that 31 cases were registered in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district while as in Pulwama 21 cases were registered and 14 were also registered in Police District Awantipora. “In Shopian, Sopore, Kupwara, PD Handwara and Rlys Kashmir, 07, 23, 17, 10 and 01 cases respectively were registered under NDPS Act in the year 2018,” the data added.
Notably, the number of cases under NDPS act registered in 2017 was 888 but this yearb the total cases in the state have mounted to 938.
The report comes amidst the government and police claims about tightening its noose against the drug menace in Kashmir. The government has said that it will act tough against the drug menace in Kashmir and have also launched its drive ‘War against Drugs’ in this regard.
The data available further stated that the drugs including Charas, fukki, poppy straw, brown sugar and others were seized in huge number.
In Anantnag district, 14.470 kgs charas, 254.500 kgs fukki, 1983.000 kgs of poppy straw and 01.300kgs of brown sugar was seized in 2018, the data said, adding that in Pulwam, 2.200 kgs charas, 161.000 kgs fukki and 402.400 kgs of poppy straw was also seized.
It further added that in Kulgam district 3.464 kgs charas, 59.000 kgs fukki, 538.600 kgs of poppy straw and 0.111 kgs of brown sugar, 1.030 kgs of heroin and 0.024 kgs of opium/powder was seized in last year.
The data reveals that 3.140 kgs charas, 96.600 kgs fukki, 9.500 kgs of poppy straw was seized in Police District Awantipora in the previous year. In Shopian, the data said 01.400 kgs charas, 23.000 kgs fukki, 294.000 kgs of poppy straw was seized in the particular year.
In Baramulla, 1.742 kgs charas, 178.000 kgs fukki, 271.400 kgs of poppy straw and 01.811 kgs of brown sugar was seized in 2018 while as in Kupwara district 23.840 kgs charas, 15.240 kgs of brown sugar and 0.450 kgs of powder was seized.
The data said that in Sopore 3.104 kgs charas, 03.000 kgs fukkiwas seized in previous year, adding that 5.375 kgs charas and 20.000 kgs fukki was seized from Police District Handwara.
In Bandipora, Ganderbal, Leh, Kargil and Rlys Kashmir as per data 08.840, 2.900, 0.177, 0.255 and 0.055 kgs charas was respectively seized in the previous year.
In Srinagar, the summer capital of the state, 7.916 kgs charas, 40.000 kgs fukki, 29.000 kgs of poppy straw and 0.480 kgs of brown sugar was seized.
In Central Kashmir’s Budgam district 2.730 kgs charas and 608.800 kgs of poppy straw was seized in 2018.
