Srinagar, June 1: Police in Handwara attached several properties of drug peddlers and terrorist handlers in north Kashmir’s Handwara area during the first five months of the year.
A statement of J&K Police issued here said that the Police in Handwara launched a relentless campaign against the individuals involved in drug peddling and supplying narcotics in Handwara, besides acting tough against the terrorist handlers involved in terrorist activities in Handwara.
It said that acting against the menace of drug peddling, the Police initiated a series of strict and vehement actions against all such accused persons who were involved in the illegal narcotic and drug trade by attaching their properties acquired from the wealth obtained through illegal activities.
The statement said that during the investigation of different cases registered against all these drug peddlers, the incriminating facts unravelled in the investigations that drug peddlers had managed to build and raise assets from the illegal narcotic trade following which action against them was initiated as per the provisions of the law.
It said that in the 10 cases registered against four known drug peddlers in the Handwara area, property assessed to be around Rs 73,52,831 had been attached in the current year.
The property attachments are in pursuance to the investigation of the cases registered against these peddlers, the statement said.
It said that to serve a serious kind of deterrence to all such elements, in addition to the property attachments of drug peddlers, preventive detention under the provisions of PIT NDPS was also invoked against the eight persons in the current year having a history of involvement in drug trade and narcotics dealing.
“Initiating a similar line of action against the terrorist handlers declared as proclaimed offenders by the court of law, land assets of variable measures owned by such terrorist handlers in Handwara area has been attached which cumulatively is assessed to be nearly around 3.5 kanal,” the statement said.
It said that four terrorist handlers who were wanted by law for their involvement in various kinds of terror activities and deemed as absconders by the court of law were declared as proclaimed offenders.
“Action against them under the relevant sections of law was initiated and their properties were identified by the authorities through appropriate channels. Accordingly, the identified properties owned in the name of these terrorist handlers were attached by the court of law,” the Police statement said. “Similar action is in progress against the other 51 terrorist handlers who have been declared as proclaimed offenders by the court of law and are involved in cases about terrorism in Handwara.”
It said that District Magistrate Handwara had also been communicated to initiate the process of marking red entries in revenue records against these terrorist handlers of Handwara operating from PoK to prevent these assets from getting liquidated.