Eleven drug suppliers held ahead of Holi

A few days left for Holi, police in course of their intensified drive to clamp down on the drug peddling menace have arrested 11 alleged contraband suppliers from different parts of Dehradun  over the past 24 hours.  Earlier, apprehending a spurt in such activities with Holi approaching, Dehradun SSP Nivedita Kukreti had formed several teams at the police station levels to rein in the drug suppliers.

In Sahaspur, police arrested a person identified as Moharam Ali alias Chhotu aged around 41, resident of Sahaspur, in course of vehicle checking drive on Monday. Police claimed to have recovered 150 gram hashish worth Rs 15, 000 from his possession. A case under sections 8/20 of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act was registered in the police station concerned. During questioning, the accused is learnt to have admitted that he used to bring hashish from Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh at cheaper rate to supply it at higher rate among the youngsters working  in factories and also students of schools and colleges located in Sahaspur.

Besides, Cantt police have arrested three persons from Bindal crossing for their alleged involvement in supply of contrabands.  Police claimed to have recovered 40 gram smack worth Rs 1.10 lakh from the possession of the trio. The accused have been identified as Aashim Khan, Mohamad Shoheb and Rehan, all natives of Saharanpur. While being grilled, they are learnt to have disclosed that they used to bring smack from Bareilly and Saharanpur to supply it among the students of various schools and colleges in the state capital.

This aside, Premnagar police have arrested five persons, allegedly involved in supplying drugs among the students.

The accused have been identified as Suraj and Shivam, residents of Bhagwanpur, Haridwar; Shahid and Mustafa, residents of Vikasnagar and Parvez, resident of Sahaspur. Police said that while 200 gram hashish was recovered from Shahid 170 gram of the same contraband from Pravez, 160 gram from Mustafa and 20 gram smack from Suraj and Shivam. They are learnt to have admitted during questioning that they used to bring smack from Bareilly and Roorkee to supply it among the students here.

In another such arrest, Doiwala police nabbed two persons identified as Mohammad Aarif, resident of Patelnagar and Sanjay Kumar, resident of Doiwala, and recovered narcotics from their possession. A police officer said that 150 gram hashish was recovered from  Mohammad Aarif while two kg ganja was seized from Sanjay Kumar.

While expressing concern over the sudden spike in drug peddling activities ahead of Holi, observers say that the police must continue  their operation till the menace is eliminated. “The importance of saving the younger generation from the lure of narcotics and drugs is paramount. Dehradun is fast turning into a hub of narcotics with their peddlers targeting  the most vulnerable section of the society- the students and the youths- with impunity.  

The peddlers are active in areas like Dalanwala, Raipur, Doiwala, Premnagar and Rajpur in the state capital where many of the esteemed educational institutions are also situated,” says one of the observers.