Criminal Justice System in full-swing in J&K: Investigations have taken lid off links between narcotics and terrorism, says J&K DGP RR Swain

Criminal Justice System in full-swing in J&K: Investigations have taken lid off links between narcotics and terrorism, says J&K DGP RR Swain

*Says Since Jan this year 307 cases registered, 150 convictions, 157 acquittals recorded so far; J&K doesn’t produce a single gram of drugs, supply comes from across; Have identified hot-spots of narco-trade, Samba one of them; 40 to 42 per cent increase in property seizures, giving cash rewards to cops including those retired from services*

Rehan Qayoom Mir

Srinagar, Sep 22 (KNO): Asserting that the criminal justice system was in full-swing in J&K, Director General of Police (DGP) RR Swain Sunday said in majority of the cases, police teams have found clear evidence between terror and narcotics. He said J&K doesn’t produce even one gram of drugs and that the entire supply from across.

“Criminal justice system is very much functional and in full swing across J&K. At times hard work goes unnoticed,” DGP Swain told reporters here, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO). “The figures prepared by our Chief Law Officer (CLO) suggest that in 2024, upto July 15 since Jan 1, there were 307 cases registered of which 150 were convicted and 157 acquitted,” the J&K Police chief said. He said as far as the acquittals, police are following the cases at the higher forms. “It is not that we are letting the case die. We follow the same in higher forums,” he said.

He said the J&K police announces cash reward and a commendation certificate to the cops for their performance in the fight against narcotics. “We even give cash rewards to the policemen who have retired from their services ten years ago. They present themselves before the concerned courts as witnesses,” DGP said as per KNO.

Asked about links between narcotics and terrorism, the DPG said some two or three years ago, there was no clear evidence about the links. “Now that it is ample clear that terrorism and narcotics are directly linked. Investigations have led us to some clear evidence,” he said, adding that when J&K doesn’t produce a single gram of drugs, the supply of heroin etc comes all the way from across and in J&K it is consumed as well as distributed to other States like Punjab. “In one of the cases, we traced narcotics links from J&K to Kupwara to Punjab.” He said at present dozens of cases being investigated by National Investigation Agency (NIA), SIA, NCB and NTF suggest that there is a direct link between terrorism and narcotics.

Asked whether police have identified some areas where narco-trade is at its peak, he said police have identified hot spots and Samba district of Jammu is one of them.  The DGP said that in dozens of cases, police found that drone-dropped narcotics were attached with weapons in Jammu’s border areas. To a query whether growing narcotics intrusion in J&K was a challenge, the DGP admitted saying that “yes it was a challenge for the national security.”—(KNO)

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