Drug peddler escapes NCB custody days after arrest in J&K operation
A suspected drug peddler, Aqib Bashir, escaped from Narcotics Control Bureau custody in Jammu and Kashmir four days after his arrest on September 3. The case is linked to a month-long NCB operation identifying drug routes from Pakistan via Uri and via Punjab.
Key takeaways
- Aqib Bashir, arrested on Sept 3 in Samba with 522 grams of heroin, escaped custody in the early hours of Sept 7.
- The operation in Jammu division is described as month-long, with identified routes from Pakistan via Uri and indirect routes via Punjab.
- Additional seizures linked to the broader case included 197 grams seized in Ludhiana on Sept 4 and 5.160 kg heroin linked to the Uri route recovered in Jammu on Aug 22.
What Happened
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) arrested a suspected drug peddler, Aqib Bashir of Kakapora in Pulwama district, on September 3 after 522 grams of heroin were seized from a passenger bus in Samba district. He escaped from NCB custody in the early hours of Monday, prompting security agencies to intensify search and vehicle-check operations across the Jammu region. An alert was issued and searches were conducted at key entry and exit points of Jammu district.
What Happens Next
Security agencies have deployed search teams at multiple locations to trace Bashir and prevent further evasion.
Background
The arrest occurred as part of a month-long NCB operation in the Jammu division that allegedly identified two routes used to push heroin into Jammu and Kashmir: a direct route from Pakistan through the Uri sector and an indirect route via Punjab. In a follow-up development, authorities reported a separate seizure in Ludhiana, Punjab, after the Sept 4 operation uncovered 197 grams of heroin connected to the broader case. Earlier, on August 22, authorities claimed a 5.160 kg heroin consignment originated from Pakistan and entered Jammu & Kashmir via the Uri sector, with investigations extending to Leh, where three Baramulla natives were arrested.
Key Facts
- Aquib Bashir, resident of Kakapora (Pulwama), arrested by NCB on September 3
- Location of arrest: on a Jammu-bound bus in Samba district
- Heroin seized: 522 grams
- Escape from custody occurred in the early hours of Monday, September 7
- Operation described as a month-long NCB push in Jammu division
- Two drug-smuggling routes identified: direct from Pakistan via Uri, indirect via Punjab
- Follow-up seizure in Ludhiana on September 4: 197 grams of heroin
- Earlier August 22: 5.160 kg heroin believed to originate from Pakistan via Uri
Why It Matters
The case highlights ongoing narcotics trafficking networks into Jammu and Kashmir and raises questions about custody security in high-profile drug cases. It ties into a broader government effort to curb narcotics at the border with Pakistan and within internal routes, which has included public policy measures and law-enforcement campaigns in the region.
Sources reviewed
Project Chintan independently synthesized and analyzed information cross-checked across the sources listed above.
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