J&K govt staffer dismissed for drug case links

JAMMU:
Jammu and
govt has dismissed a suspended employee of Jal Shakti Public Health Engineering (PHE) department from service for his involvement in a narcotics case.
Shabir Hussain, working as a PHE khalasi in Poonch, was named in an FIR under NDPS Act for possession of 4-6 grams of a heroin-like substance. He was remanded in judicial custody from Sept 14 to Oct 28 last year.
'Hussain is also disqualified from any future employment with the govt,' reads the order issued by the department.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

News18

12 hours ago

• News18

3.75 Lakh Vs Just 268: India's War On Drugs High On Arrests, Low On Convictions In Last 3 Years

Last Updated: Nearly 40 lakh kg of drugs have been seized across India in these three years with an approximate collective value of more than Rs 52,000 crore In three years, India registered over 3 lakh drug trafficking cases and 3.75 lakh arrests, but only 268 led to convictions, a rate below 1%, News18 analysis shows. According to the data from the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), a total of 89,913 cases were registered in calendar year 2024, with 1.16 lakh arrests under the Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. The total quantity of drugs seized across India stood at 13.30 lakh kg. The numbers in 2024 were lower than in 2023: 1.09 lakh cases, 1.32 lakh arrests, and 13.89 lakh kg of drugs seized under the NDPS Act. While the number of arrests and cases may appear encouraging, they paint a grim picture when it comes to convictions. The number of convictions each year has improved in the last three years, but remained very low compared to the number of cases and arrests—54 in 2022, 104 in 2023, and 110 in 2024, NCB data shows. In 2022, 2023, and 2024, India reported an average of 280, 300, and 246 cases related to the NDPS Act per day, respectively, leading to 347, 364, and 317 arrests per day, roughly. In 2022, nearly five convictions were secured each month, which increased to about nine per month in 2023 and 2024, the analysis of the official data shows. The analysis also shows that the states in the top position have reported lower convictions than states with fewer cases. Uttar Pradesh leads with the most convictions (42), followed by Bihar (38) and Tamil Nadu (28) in the three-year period. It is also worth noting that post-2020, the number of cases registered and arrests made was on the rise until 2024. The numbers in 2024 were fewer than in 2023 but more than in 2020 and 2021. Also, 16 lakh kg of drugs seized in 2021 marked the highest seizure year between 2020 and 2024. In the last three years, nearly 40 lakh kg of drugs have been seized across India. The numbers from NCB suggest that this quantity of drugs has a collective value of more than Rs 52,000 crore in the international illicit market. Kerala Tops in Drug Case Registrations Between calendar years 2022 and 2024, Kerala has been the biggest contributor, with the highest number of cases registered each year. It is the only state in India to report over 25,000 drug-related cases each year—26,918 in 2022, 30,715 in 2023, and 27,701 in 2024. In terms of the cases reported in three years, the top five states, accountable for more than 1.94 lakh cases collectively, were Kerala (85,334), Maharashtra (35,883), Punjab (33,012), Uttar Pradesh (24,698), and Madhya Pradesh (15,724). As is clear from the graph, Kerala was constantly in the top position, and Uttar Pradesh has been in the fourth position all these years. Punjab, which was in the third spot in 2022 and 2023, came second in 2024, replacing Maharashtra. Although Madhya Pradesh appeared in the top five list only once, it still ranked fifth overall in the total number of cases between 2022 and 2024. It reported 4,836 cases in 2022, 6,537 in 2023, and 4,351 in 2024. A total of seven states have registered more than 10,000 cases between 2022 and 2024. Rajasthan (14,298) and Haryana (10,600) followed Madhya Pradesh in the list. As shown in the graph, nine states reported less than 500 cases collectively in the three-year period. Clubbed with Manipur (859), Arunachal Pradesh (736), and Nagaland (723), 12 states reported less than 1,000 cases between 2022 and 2024. Drug Cases Declined in 23 States in 2024, But Rose in Telangana and Delhi As is clear from the overall drop, the cases registered in 2024 in 23 states were fewer than in 2023. In Maharashtra, the cases registered dropped to more than half, from 15,561 in 2023 to 7,536 in 2024. Kerala was second in terms of drop in cases, followed by Punjab, from 11,564 cases in 2023 to 9,025 in 2024. But Telangana, Delhi, and Assam were among the 13 states where cases increased in 2024 when compared to 2023. Telangana registered 1,281 cases in 2022, then 1,495 in 2023, and 2,387 in 2024. Delhi was next on the list—1,343 in 2022, followed by 1,415 in 2023 and 1,854 in 2024. In Assam, in 2022 and 2023, a little over 2,900 cases were registered, which increased to 3,350 in 2024. Minor increases were also reported in Rajasthan (from 5,098 to 5,462), Jharkhand (from 535 to 800), Andhra Pradesh (from 1,749 to 1,869), and West Bengal (from 1,005 to 1,089) between 2023 and 2024. Fighting Low Conviction There are a number of reasons for low convictions—sometimes there are lapses in the registration of First Information Reports (FIRs), sometimes slow disposal of cases in courts, and adding to these is the higher acquittal rates in these cases. top videos View all Acknowledging the issue, the government—through the NCB—organises training programmes to upgrade the skills of the public prosecutors and drug law enforcement officers to ensure a better conviction rate. Despite the increase in enforcement and seizures, the conviction gap underscores a need for stronger prosecution systems, faster trials, and coordinated follow-up by law enforcement and judicial authorities to ensure justice in India's fight against narcotics. About the Author Nivedita Singh Nivedita Singh is a data journalist and covers the Election Commission, Indian Railways and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. She has nearly seven years of experience in the news media. She tweets @ More Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : drugs narcotics numberspeak Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 21, 2025, 07:30 IST News india 3.75 Lakh Vs Just 268: India's War On Drugs High On Arrests, Low On Convictions In Last 3 Years

Hindustan Times

13 hours ago

• Hindustan Times

Cousin arrested for murder of 20-yr-old youth in Hoshiarpur

Hoshiarpur: The police have cracked the murder case of a 20-year-old youth with the arrest of his cousin within 24 hours of the crime. Aryan, a resident of Sehwan village in Hoshiarpur district, was shot dead on Garhshankar-Nangal road on Wednesday night. Aryan, a resident of Sehwan village in the district, was shot dead on Garhshankar-Nangal road on Wednesday night. Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Sandeep Kumar Malik said accused Naveen Kumar of Kokowal village had concocted the story that when he and Aryan were coming from Ludhiana after buying stuff for the latter's new garments shop, unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants shot him dead. 'The police suspected his version right from the word go. When we questioned him in detail, he confessed to having killed his cousin as he feared that if Aryan opened a new shop near his establishment in Adda Jhungian, it would affect his garments business', said the SSP. He revealed that on the given night when the victim and the accused were returning home, near Shahpur village, the latter made an excuse that he was unwell. When Aryan stopped the car, Naveen took out a .32-bore pistol and shot him in the head and chest, the SSP added. The police had recovered the weapon and also arrested two brothers of Mehandwani village from whom the accused had procured it, he said, adding: 'One of the arrested accused, Gurmukh, was wanted in a murder and an NDPS Act case registered against him in Una in Himachal Pradesh and Garhshankar, respectively.

Indian Express

15 hours ago

• Indian Express

Operation Kavach-8.0: 139 arrested, 133 cases filed in 24-hour drugs crackdown in Delhi

In a single-day crackdown under the Delhi Police's 'Operation Kavach 8.0', 139 narcotics offenders were arrested and 133 cases were filed under the NDPS Act, officers said on Friday. The operation was conducted between 6 pm on Wednesday and 6 pm on Thursday. It resulted in the seizure of 90.3 grams of heroin, 25.9 kg of ganja, 3.32 grams of cocaine, 4.63 grams of MDMA, 20.08 grams of amphetamine, and 12 buprenorphine tablets, said police. The operation was carried out by over 350 teams from all 15 districts, the Crime Branch, and the Special Cell, covering 1,040 targeted locations. It was supervised by senior officers, including Special Commissioner of Police, Crime, Devesh Chandra Srivastava, and Joint Commissioner of Police, Crime, Surender Singh. Alongside NDPS enforcement, 224 people were arrested in 217 Excise Act cases, with the seizure of 47,476 illicit quarter bottles of liquor. Thirty persons were held in 29 Arms Act cases, leading to the recovery of pistols, cartridges, and knives. In addition, 55 gamblers were arrested and over Rs 25,000 in cash was seized. Police also prosecuted 2,031 violators under the Tobacco Act, seized over 1.7 lakh prohibited foreign cigarettes, and intercepted e-cigarettes worth Rs 9.38 lakh. An 18-year-old linked to the anti-Lawrence Bishnoi gang was also caught with four semi-automatic pistols. Officials said the crackdown has pushed major traffickers underground and disrupted smuggling networks. 'Under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2,031 violators were prosecuted and one person was arrested with over 1.71 lakh prohibited foreign cigarettes and 469 e-cigarettes,' said the Srivastava. Prohibited e-cigarettes worth around Rs 9.38 lakh were also seized from a shop in Safdarjung Enclave, police said. The senior police officer said that since January 2025, a total of 1,439 narco-offenders have been arrested in 1,127 NDPS cases, with seizures of nearly 38 kg of heroin, over 3,000 kg of cannabis, and other contraband. (With PTI)