Residents: Drug peddlers ‘catch whiff of cops,’ flee

Ludhiana: The cordon and search operation (CASO) organised in various drug hotspots under the Punjab govt's "Yuddh Nashya Viruddh" programme, did not turn out as expected. Although police commissioner Kuldeep Singh Chahal led the operation in Dr Ambedkar Nagar himself, drug peddlers managed to give police the slip.
CASO was carried out in Model Town, Dugri, Sahnewal, and division number 4 police stations on Saturday. Police arrested 34 persons against whom 18 FIRs had been lodged. They seized 804g heroin, 1,850 intoxicant tablets, 21g intoxicating powder, 700g charas, and 50 injections, besides a car, PB-01-E-0886 from them.
However, with the surprise element missing in the operation, police found locked houses, with no drug peddlers.
Open sale of drugs: Residents
In the course of the operation in Ambedkar Nagar, residents said that the drug peddlers had fled before the arrival of the police. They complained that "chitta" was sold in the area at any time of the day. One person said that the drug peddlers harassed anyone who informed the police about them. Chahal assured them that names of informers would be kept secret and promised stern action against the peddlers.
A resident told Chahal that people would queue up in the lane near his house to buy drugs and sale continued late into the night. When the police commissioner asked him to alert the police when it happened, he said, "We get harassed if we pass on the information to the police."
The CP assured him that police would rein in peddlers and assured confidentiality for informers.
Another resident, Anuj Kumar, said, "Even kids in our locality know where ‘chitta' is being sold and who is selling it. Peddlers sell drugs openly late into the night. We have often witnessed scuffles between sellers and drug addicts. Every day, drug peddlers roam around on the streets openly. Today, they fled before the police could reach. Police must investigate how the peddlers got the information and escaped before the search operation."
A few women residents whose husbands were addicted to drugs said that if they objected to peddlers giving drugs to their spouses, they were threatened with knives. Another resident, Vishal Kumar, claimed that his 18-year-old cousin died because of drugs.
CP Chahal said, "Residents have shared the issues and feedback with me and we will definitely work on it. Regular communication with residents would be ensured to get specific information about drug peddlers and secrecy of their names will be ensured."
He added, "We have lodged 18 FIRs and arrested 34 persons today. Such drives will continue in the coming days and various areas will be covered. We have made a list of 360 suspects who will be searched and verified. City police will take exemplary action." Chahal said that the city police has so far demolished three houses belonging to drug smugglers.
Box: Drug recovery
—Daresi police recovered 700gm charas and 55gm heroin with the arrest of Happy Mattu alias Sunny, a resident of Guru Nanak Dev Nagar.
—The anti-narcotic cell arrested two drug peddlers, Harpreet Singh and Jaswant Singh, both residents of Gujjar Colony, Jageerpur Road. Police recovered 23gm cocaine from them.
— CIA-II police arrested Manraj alias Mann, 19, a resident of Dr Ambedkar Nagar and seized 20gm heroin from him. The accused was arrested near Civil Hospital following a tip-off.
—CIA-III police arrested two drug peddlers, Vishal alias Vicky of Haidar Enclave and Bhola Shukla of Kakowal Road, following a tip-off from Salem Tabri area and recovered 310gm heroin from their possession. Police also recovered the car in which they were commuting with the drugs
Khanna Police arrest 14 peddlers
Khanna police conducted raids at five hotspots and arrested 16 accused, registering six cases. Police recovered 20gm heroin, 150gm opium, 200 intoxicating tablets, and seven mobile phones.
4 held in Ludh rural
Ludhiana Rural Police arrested four drug peddlers and registered four FIRs against them. Police recovered 2kg poppy husk, 90 intoxicant tablets, and 3gm heroin from their possession.
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