Udhampur Police Seize 17kg Poppy Straw; Punjab-Based Drug Peddler Arrested in Chenani
CHENANI, January 07, 2026 : In a significant breakthrough against narcotics smuggling, the Udhampur Police apprehended an inter-state drug peddler and recovered a substantial consignment of poppy straw during a routine operation at Chenani on Wednesday.
The arrest took place at the Nakka Motor Shed on the National Highway, where a police team from Police Station Chenani, led by the Station House Officer (SHO), was conducting regular vehicle inspections.
During the exercise, officers intercepted an Innova car (bearing registration number PB 01A-9651) traveling from Srinagar toward Udhampur. The driver was identified as Gurpreet Singh, son of Harjinder Singh, a resident of Kotha Guru, Bathinda, Punjab.Upon a thorough search of the vehicle’s trunk, police recovered 17.035 kg of poppy straw.
After the suspect failed to provide a lawful justification for carrying the contraband, he was taken into custody. Following the seizure, FIR No. 02/2026 was registered at Police Station Chenani under Sections 8 and 15 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
A detailed investigation is currently underway to trace the origin and intended destination of the illegal shipment.