Dharamshala: Kangra Police have arrested three persons in two separate drug-related cases in Dharamshala and seized a total of 17.5 grams of chitta (heroin) along with ₹1 lakh in cash.
In the first incident, a team from Dharamshala Police Station and Yol Police Post was patrolling near Tapovan Road, close to the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha, late on Monday evening when it noticed a person behaving suspiciously. During questioning and a subsequent search, police recovered 7.14 grams of chitta from his possession.
The accused was identified as Gaurav Verma, 37, a resident of Ward No. 6, Shyamnagar, Dharamshala, in Kangra district. Police arrested him and registered a case under Sections 21 and 25 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at Dharamshala Police Station.
Police are investigating the source of the contraband and the intended recipient of the alleged supply.
In a separate operation, the Criminal Investigation Agency (CIA) team of Kangra Police conducted a raid at a private hotel in Khanyara following secret information. The area falls under the jurisdiction of Dharamshala Police Station.
During the raid, two persons were apprehended from a hotel room. Police said that a detailed interrogation and search led to the recovery of 10.36 grams of chitta and ₹1 lakh in cash from their possession.
The two accused were identified as Sunil Kumar, a resident of Jalalabad village under Fazilka Post Office in Punjab, and Manjit Singh, a resident of Mundi Kharar village under Kharar Post Office in Punjab. Both were arrested, and the contraband and cash were seized. A case was registered under the NDPS Act at Dharamshala Police Station.
Police are conducting further investigations in both cases to establish the source of the drugs and identify other persons who may be connected with the alleged drug supply network.
Kangra Police appreciated the cooperation extended by the hotel owner, operator and staff during the raid. The police said public cooperation was crucial to strengthening the anti-drug campaign being spearheaded by the Himachal Pradesh government.
