Amritsar police nab two more from J&K in 16.87-kg heroin seizure case

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 31

In a major breakthrough in the 16.87-kg heroin seizure case, the Amritsar rural police have reportedly nabbed two more persons from Jammu and Kashmir.

Though police officials were tight-lipped about their arrest, sources confirmed the development. Those arrested have been identified as Jafar and Sikander. They are likely to be brought to Amritsar tomorrow. The sources said their links with Pakistan-based terrorist groups or ISI could not be ruled out, though investigation was still under progress.

Their names had figured during investigation in the case. Their contact numbers were found in the mobile phone recovered from Ranjit Singh, alias Rana, who was lodged in Faridkot jail and had ordered the contraband. It turned out to be a narco-gangster racket as the police also nominated Malkeet Singh, a gangster, arrested in the Tarn Taran double murder case in which a gangster was killed recently.

It may be recalled that the Amritsar rural police had arrested Ranjit Singh, alias Sonu, a cabbie from Madhopur in Pathankot area, on Thursday. During the search of his vehicle, the police had confiscated 16.87-kg heroin hidden in special cavities created beneath the vehicle (Innova).

During Sonu’s interrogation, it was found that he had picked up and delivered two drug consignments of similar quantity from Jammu and Kashmir. He had visited the Kashmir valley around three times in as many months, raising a question mark on the functioning of intelligence agencies.

The police were also investigating whether today’s seizure of 20-kg heroin by Jalandhar police from a truck was the handiwork of some cartel as the modus operandi was almost same. The contraband was concealed in the special cavities created in the truck in Jalandhar.

Earlier, the police had arrested a Zira resident, identified as Harminder Singh, who created special cavities in the vehicles used for smuggling of drugs. His name had figured during Sonu’s interrogation. Sonu had brought the drug consignment from Naushehra area in Jammu and Kashmir on the instructions of Ranjit Singh Rana and Malkeet Sing.

According to the sources, the police had found two cars from Sonu, both Innova taxies, wherein he had created the cavities. Sonu had met Harminder through Ranjit Singh Rana. The police were now trying to find out whether he had made cavities in other vehicles. Though Harminder was claiming that he had created the cavities in these two vehicles alone, the police were still verifying his claims.