SRINAGAR, Oct 15: Srinagar Police has attached and frozen residential properties and a vehicle worth over Rs 13.43 crore in a major crackdown on drug traffickingtargeting assets allegedly acquired through proceeds of narcotic activities.
The coordinated operation was carried out by police stations Khanyar, Pantha Chowk, Shalteng, Safakadal, Soura and Ahmadnagar under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. Police said the action followed financial investigations to identify assets allegedly linked to illicit drug trafficking.
Proceedings were initiated under Sections 68-E and 68-F of the NDPS Act in accordance with prescribed legal procedures.
Khanyar Police accounted for the largest share of the action, attaching four residential properties and a Volkswagen Polo vehicle collectively valued at around Rs 8 crore. The assets belong to Aijaz Ahmad Bhat, Aaqib Hyder Khan, Majid Ashraf Wani and Shabir Ahmad Bangroo, and include multi-storeyed houses in Khanyar and Safakadal.
Pantha Chowk Police attached a residential house in Khanmoh worth Rs 1.24 crore belonging to Saqib Bashir Bhat alias Sakpal, who is linked to multiple NDPS cases registered in Pampore, Banihal and Khrew.
Shalteng Police froze a two-storeyed house with one kanal of land in Panzinara, valued at Rs 1.21 crore, belonging to Danish Ahmad Bhat.
Safakadal Police attached a three-storeyed house with an attic, valued at Rs 10.15 lakh, belonging to Faizan Firdous Khanday alias Farzan Pujj. The case involves provisions of the NDPS Act, the Arms Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
In the Hazratbal sub-division, Ahmadnagar Police froze properties worth Rs 1 crore and Rs 80 lakh belonging to Adil Ahmad Patoo of Shah Mohalla, Ahmadnagar. Soura Police also initiated proceedings against a residential house in Umar Colony-B, Lal Bazar, valued at around Rs 1.18 crore, excluding the land value, belonging to Khalid Nazir Chiloo.
Police said the action was aimed at dismantling the financial networks supporting organised drug trafficking, reiterating its zero-tolerance policy and commitment to disrupting illicit drug networks and protecting Kashmir’s youth from substance abuse.