Punjab Police on Sunday claimed to have achieved yet another great success after SBS Nagar Police has recovered 38 kg heroin concealed in a toolbox of a truck coming from Gujarat.
The state Director General of Police (Punjab) Gaurav Yadav, sharing the details, said that the Police have arrested two persons, including a truck driver identified as Kulwinder Ram alias Kinda and his accomplice identified as Bittu — both residents of Balachaur, SBS Nagar; besides booking two drug smugglers identified as Rajesh Kumar alias Sonu Khatri of Rakkara Dhahan and Som Nath alias Bikko of Karawar.
The Police have also impounded the truck bearing registration number PB04-V-6366, he added.
IGP Ludhiana Range Surinder Pal Singh Parmar, accompanied by SBS Nagar Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Bhagirath Meena, addressing the media in SBS Nagar on Sunday, said that the police had received a secret information that a drug smuggler, identified as Rajesh Kumar, along with his accomplices — Som Nath Bikko, Kulwinder Kinda, and Bittu, is engaged in the business of supplying large quantities of heroin in different areas of Punjab by bringing the drug from other states through truck.
Following this information, the Police have immediately registered an FIR, dated August 27, 2022, under sections 21, 25, 28-61-85 of the NDPS Act at Police Station Nawanshahr City, said Parmar, adding that a special nakabandi was conducted at Mahalon Bypass in SBS Nagar under the supervision of the PPS officer Ranjit Singh and Sub-Inspector Surinder Singh.
“During the nakabandi, when the police party signalled the truck to stop, the truck driver Kulwinder Kinda tried to run away but the police party managed to catch him and Bittu and recovered 38 kg packet of heroin wrapped in a tarpaulin and concealed in a toolbox of the truck,” he said.
SSP Bhagirath Meena said that during the preliminary interrogation, the accused truck driver Kulwinder Kinda disclosed that he had received a call from Rajesh Kumar via Telegram App, who gave him a pinpoint location in Bhuj in Gujarat to pick heroin and bring it to Punjab.
The accused further revealed that when he reached the location, an unknown person came and loaded the drug into his truck, he added.
He said that Kulwinder Kinda also disclosed that earlier, on the instruction of Rajesh Kumar, he had brought two chunks including of 10 kg and then 20 kg heroin from Srinagar Uri in the month of January, besides, one kg of heroin from Delhi this year.
The SSP said that the Police are conducting raids to nab accused Rajesh Kumar and Som Nath and soon they will be arrested.
DGP Gaurav Yadav, while reiterating the commitment of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to make Punjab a drugs-free and crime-free state, said that Punjab Police has adopted zero tolerance policy against drugs menace and crime. Anybody found indulged in any kind of anti-social activities, will be dealt with heavy hand, he warned.
Meanwhile, accused Rajesh Kumar alias Sonu Khatri is a professional criminal and facing over 19 cases of heinous crime including murder, hurt, illegal activities, forgery, NDPS Act and Excise Act. While Kulwinder Kinda was convicted and sentenced for imprisonment of 10 years in an NDPS case registered at Nurmahal Police Station regarding 3.45 quintal poppy husk recovery.