Punjab Police seize 38 kg heroin; two held
Chandigarh/SBS Nagar, August 28: In a major success, Punjab Police on Sunday seized 38kg heroin concealed in a toolbox of a truck coming from Gujarat, said Director General of Police (Punjab) Gaurav Yadav.
According to the DGP, the police have arrested two people, including a truck driver named Kulwinder Ram alias Kinda and his accomplice named Bittu, both from Balachaur, SBS Nagar, as well as two drug smugglers named Rajesh Kumar alias Sonu Khatri of Rakkara Dhahan and Som Nath alias Bikko of Karawar. The truck with the registration number PB04V6366 has also been seized by the police, he added.
While addressing a press conference in SBS Nagar, IGP Ludhiana Range Surinder Pal Singh Parmar accompanied by SSP SBS Nagar Bhagirath Meena, said that the police had received secret information that a drug smuggler - Rajesh Kumar along with his accomplices Som Nath Bikko, Kulwinder Kinda and Bittu is engaged in the business of supplying large quantities of heroin in different areas of Punjab by bringing the drug from other states through the truck.
Following this information, the Police immediately registered an FIR under sections 21/25/28-61-85 of the NDPS Act at Police Station City Nawanshahr and a special nakabandi was conducted at Mahalon Bypass in SBS Nagar under the supervision of the Shri Ranjit Singh PPS and SI Surinder Singh.
"During the nakabandi when the police party signalled the truck to stop, the truck driver Kulwinder Kinda tried to run away but the police party managed to catch him and Bittu and recovered 38kg packet of heroin wrapped in a tarpaulin and concealed in a toolbox of the truck," he continued.
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According to SSP Bhagirath Meena, accused truck driver Kulwinder Kinda confessed during a preliminary interrogation that he had received a call from Rajesh Kumar via the Telegram app, who had given him a specific location in Bhuj, Gujarat, to pick up heroin and transport it to Punjab. The accused added that when he arrived at the scene, an unknown person arrived and loaded the narcotics into his truck.
SSP further stated that Kulwinder Kinda also said that earlier on the instruction of Rajesh Kumar, he had brought two chunks including of 10kg and then 20kg heroin from Srinagar Udi in the month of January, besides, 1kg of heroin from Delhi this year.
According to the SSP, Rajesh Kumar and Som Nath are being hunted by police in raids, and they will soon be taken into custody.
DGP Gaurav Yadav stated that Punjab Police has taken a zero-tolerance policy against drug menace and crime while reiterating the commitment of Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann to make Punjab a drug- and crime-free state.
Meanwhile, accused Rajesh Kumar alias Sonu Khatri is a professional criminal who is currently facing over 19 cases of serious crimes like murder, hurt, illegal activities, forgery, NDPS Act and Excise Act.
Kulwinder Kinda, on the other hand, was convicted and sentenced for the imprisonment of 10 years in an NDPS case registered at Nurmahal Police Station regarding 3.45 Quintal Poppy Husk recovery.
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-PTC News
