J&K: Anantnag police demolish illegal commercial properties worth ₹1 crore belonging to notorious drug peddler Sajad Rather

Anantnag police demolished illegal properties belonging to a local drug peddler.
Authorities demolishing illegal properties (Image via X/PTI)

In a major crackdown on drug smuggling in the state, the Anantnag Police on Saturday (2nd May) demolished a commercial property worth ₹1 crore belonging to notorious drug peddler Sajad Rather. The authorities demolished 15 shops located in the Bijbehara area belonging to Rather.

According to officials, the property was acquired by Rather, a resident of Waghama in Bijbehara, using proceeds of drug smuggling. The demolition drive was carried out near National Highway-44, in a joint operation of the district administration and law enforcement agencies.

Notably, Rather is named in a 2017 case filed under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. The action comes as part of the authorities’ ongoing campaign against narcotics smuggling in the district. The authorities have intensified their efforts to dismantle the financial networks of drug traffickers.

The development follows the arrest of five drug peddlers in the Anantnag district, as confirmed by the police on Friday. The drug peddlers have been booked by the police under the NDPS Act. Two of the accused, Aqib Nissar Rangraze and Umar Yousuf Mahroo, were caught by a police team from the Police Station Kokernag while carrying drugs in a vehicle.

Another accused, Rameez Bashir Bhat, was nabbed by police at Mehmoodabad Bridge, and 2.65 grams of a heroin-like substance were recovered from him during a search. The remaining two accused, Sabzar Ahmed Sofi and Adil Ahmad Sheikh, were arrested by the police at Gutligund and Khrety Lovlupora, respectively. The police also found them in possession of illegal drugs, which were seized.

Written by OpIndia Staff
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