130 grams of Chitta seized during highway naka; police probe organised network using minors as carriers
Kangra: A 13-year-old boy was detained after police recovered 130.48 grams of ‘chitta’ (heroin) from his possession during a late-night vehicle checking on the National Highway in Kangra district, exposing a disturbing trend of minors being used by drug networks.
The recovery was made near Banohi Bridge under the jurisdiction of the Gaggal Police Station when a team of the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA), Kangra, led by ASI Manjit Singh, was conducting routine checking around 9 pm on Wednesday. An HRTC bus travelling from Amritsar to Baijnath was stopped and searched during the naka.
Police said the minor was found sitting alone inside the bus and appeared nervous during questioning. A search of his brown backpack led to the recovery of over 130 grams of heroin, indicating that the consignment was meant for supply rather than personal use.
During preliminary interrogation, the boy revealed that the narcotics had been handed to him in Amritsar by a relative, who instructed him to board the bus and deliver the packet further along the route. The relative was expected to collect the consignment later, pointing towards a planned operation aimed at avoiding suspicion by using a child as a carrier.
Police have confirmed that the contraband has been seized and a case has been registered under the NDPS Act. The police are further investigating the matter. Police teams have launched a search to trace the relative and uncover the larger network behind the operation. Officials suspect that the case may be linked to a broader interstate drug supply chain.
The incident has raised serious concerns as police in Himachal Pradesh continue to report increasing cases of ‘chitta’ trafficking and abuse. The use of minors in such crimes highlights a worrying shift in the functioning of drug syndicates, which are exploiting children to bypass security checks.
