Drug smuggler arrested with 1 kg heroin during encounter

AMRITSAR : A drug smuggler was arrested and one kg heroin recovered from his possession after an encounter with police at Kohali village under Lopoke police station in Amritsar, special task force (STF) for drugs said on Tuesday. In the encounter, a head constable (HC) was injured while an accomplice of the smuggler managed to flee the spot.

The arrested man has been identified as Karanbir Singh aka Karan (24) while the absconder is Samsher Singh aka Shera of Kohali village.

Police said Karanbir fired five shots at the STF team while it was conducting raid at Kohali village and in retaliation, the team opened three shots. One of the shots hit HC Gursewak Singh in his chest and he was admitted to a private hospital, said police, adding that the condition of the HC is critical.

Inspector general (IG) of STF, RK Jaiswal, said two teams of STF border range were patrolling in Lopoke area on Monday night in search of drug paddlers. “One team was headed by assistant sub inspector (ASI) Kashmir Singh while the other team was headed by sub-inspector (SI) Anokh Singh. The Kashmir Singh-led team had received a tip-off about the duo accused. The informer told the team that the accused have been smuggling drugs in the area and they have links with Pakistani smugglers.”

“When the reached Kohali village and asked the accused to cooperate in search, the duo tried to escape. When the cops tried to catch them, the accused opened shots at them, injuring constable Gursewak Singh. However, injured constable caught hold of Karanbir while Samsher fled the spot,” said the IG.

Police have admitted the constable to a private hospital where his condition is stated to be critical, he said.

The IG said, “The accused confessed that abhe had been supplying heroin in the area for the past few years. He also told us about his supplier’s name, which we can not disclose at this moment. ”

A case under Section 307 (murder) and 25-27-54-59 of the Arms

Act has been registered against the duo accused at STF’S Mohali police station.

1 KG HEROIN SEIZED IN FEROZEPUR

FEROZEPUR: The border security force and the police seized 1 kg of heroin in a joint operation in Ferozepur on Tuesday. When CIA of Jalandhar police got a tip-off regarding smuggling of drugs through the border out post (BOP) at new Gajniwala in Ferozepur, they, along with BSF sleuths searched the area and found two packets of heroin (totalling 1 kg) near the border pillar number 213/11 on Tuesday afternoon.