Crores worth properties of alleged drug peddlers demolished in Jammu crackdown

• District administration razes suspected narco-assets in Nikki Tawi under anti-drug drive
• Jammu intensifies war on drugs as properties linked to peddlers brought down

Jammu, Apr 18: In a major action against the narcotics network, the district administration demolished properties worth several crores belonging to two alleged drug peddlers in the Nikki Tawi area of Jammu. The operation was carried out as part of the ongoing campaign to curb drug trafficking and dismantle the financial infrastructure built through the illegal trade.

Official sources said the demolished properties allegedly belonged to Shamp Din alias Pappi, a resident of Biaspur Parlah in Suchetgarh, RS Pura, and Abdul Hamid alias Midhu of Maralian in the Miran Sahib area. Authorities stated that both structures had allegedly been raised on State land and were suspected to have been built using proceeds generated from the narcotics trade.

One of the demolition drives commenced around 9:45 am in the Nikki Tawi area at Karnaley Chak, falling under the jurisdiction of Police Station Satwari. The operation was conducted in the presence of senior civil administration officials, police personnel and a heavy deployment of security staff. Bulldozers were pressed into service to raze a residential house allegedly belonging to Shamp Din.

Apart from the main structure, several grass huts located within the premises were also removed during the drive. Officials further said that some two-wheelers found at the site were seized as part of the operation, indicating a broader scrutiny of assets suspected to be connected with unlawful activities.

The action assumes significance as it comes under the 100-day Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan launched by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on April 11. The campaign has been aimed at intensifying the fight against drug abuse and trafficking across Jammu and Kashmir, with a special focus on breaking the economic backbone of those engaged in the narcotics trade.

Tehsildar Jammu Khas, Paramdeep Singh, said that the action was initiated only after proper verification and inquiry by the concerned authorities. He told reporters that the demolished property belonging to Shamp Din in the Nikki Tawi area was found linked to alleged drug trade activities. According to him, the estimated value of the property was around Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 2 crore.

In another simultaneous operation in the same area, the administration also demolished another property worth crores allegedly belonging to Abdul Hamid alias Midhu of Maralian, Miran Sahib. Officials said both actions were part of a broader and sustained campaign against narcotics-related crimes in the region.

Authorities maintained that the administration is adopting a zero-tolerance approach towards drug trafficking and those who seek to build wealth through such illegal means. By targeting immovable assets and suspected proceeds of crime, the administration is sending out a strong message that involvement in the drug trade will invite strict legal and punitive action.

Officials revealed that in the past one year alone, more than 150 properties linked to alleged drug peddlers in the Jammu region have either been seized or demolished. This reflects the scale of the anti-drug crackdown and the administration’s growing emphasis on not only arresting offenders but also financially crippling the network supporting the narcotics trade.

The latest demolition drives are being seen as a stern warning to those involved in peddling drugs and exploiting vulnerable sections of society, particularly the youth. With the anti-drug campaign gaining momentum, authorities have indicated that more such actions are likely in the coming days as part of the effort to make the region free from the menace of drugs.