Jammu and Kashmir police dismantle secret drug network in Kulgam narcotics crackdown

KULGAM, May 16, 2026 — In a major crackdown on narcotics trafficking under the War on Drugs campaign, the Kulgam Police busted a secretive drug supply network operating through indirect channels and arrested two accused individuals.

The operation began on May 2, 2026, when a police team conducting routine checkpoint checking at Kurigam near the railway crossing apprehended Sajad Ahmad Dar, a resident of Nishat, Srinagar, after he attempted to flee the scene. A personal search of the suspect led to the recovery of approximately 5 grams of a heroin-like substance, prompting authorities to register an official case under the NDPS Act at the Qazigund police station.

During the subsequent investigation, officers traced the backward linkages of the arrested individual to a major supplier identified as Firdous Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Pehlipora, Waripora Safapora, Ganderbal. Armed with a legal search warrant from the Chief Judicial Magistrate court, a police team raided the location, apprehended Bhat, and recovered around 20 grams of brown sugar from his possession.

Investigations revealed that Bhat had been operating discreetly for nearly a year while maintaining a clean profile to evade suspicion. He utilized a highly secretive modus operandi by avoiding direct contact with peddlers and consumers, relying instead on intermediaries, night-time transactions, and indirect communication methods.

Senior Superintendent of Police Kulgam Anayat Ali Chowdhary stated that the police force remains committed to dismantling drug networks and urged the public, especially the youth, to cooperate in eliminating the menace of narcotics from society.