2 peddlers’ houses worth over Rs 3.5 Cr demolished

JAMMU: Two residential houses and a cowshed belonging to two brothers accused of being chronic drug peddlers were demolished in a joint operation carried out by the civil administration and police in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district on Monday, police said. The demolished structures, worth over Rs 3.5 crore, had been illegally constructed on State land by Gulzar alias "Dau" and his brother Farman Ali at village Sapral Pain in Marheen tehsil, a police spokesman said. He said both accused are allegedly involved in multiple FIRs related to drug trafficking and other criminal activities. The demolition was carried out in the presence of civil and police administration as part of the government's sustained campaign against the drug menace, the spokesman said. He said the action sends a strong message that no individual involved in narcotics trafficking will be allowed to benefit from the proceeds of crime of Narcotics Drugs Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) by building unauthorised structures on encroached government land. The district administration and the Kathua Police reiterated their firm commitment to making the district drug-free and warned that stringent legal action will continue against drug peddlers and all those involved in narcotic-related offences, the spokesman said. He added that the authorities are adopting a zero-tolerance approach towards the drug menace and will continue to intensify anti-narcotics operations, financial investigations, property attachments, and legal proceedings under the provisions of the NDPS Act. The spokesman further said that coordinated efforts by the police and civil administration will continue to identify, dismantle and disrupt drug trafficking networks operating in the district. He appealed to the public, particularly the youth, to actively support the anti-drug campaign by reporting suspicious activities to the police, assuring that the identity of informants would be kept confidential. He reiterated that the administration remains committed to safeguarding society from the harmful effects of drug abuse and ensuring a safe, secure and drug-free environment for all.