SRINAGAR, Nov 5: Inspector General of Police Kashmir, Sujit Kumar, today said Police have arrested 1,941 people in more than 1,500 narcotics-related cases this year, seized 1,711 kilograms of contraband and attached properties worth over Rs. 154 crore belonging to drug traffickers.
Addressing a press conference, the IGP said police had also recovered Rs. 1.10 crore in cash and frozen 567 bank accounts containing Rs. 1.71 crore as part of the campaign against drug trafficking. “Illicit crops had been destroyed at 2,116 locations across Kashmir,” he said.
Focusing on drug addiction, cybercrime and traffic violations, he said the police wanted young people to play a constructive role in society and assured them of support in addressing these challenges.
Making a special appeal to families struggling with drug addiction, he urged them not to hesitate to approach the police, assuring them that their identities would be kept confidential.
The IGP said the police would extend assistance to people seeking to overcome addiction through available rehabilitation facilities.
On cybercrime, he said police had received 12,385 complaints involving more than Rs. 54 crore in financial fraud this year. “Of this amount, Rs. 7.48 crore had been recovered, while efforts were continuing to trace the remaining money, he added”.
He said 93 FIRs had been registered in cyber fraud cases, including seven involving mule bank accounts, which are used to route money obtained through fraudulent transactions.
The IGP warned young people against allowing others to use their bank accounts or identities for suspicious financial transactions, saying several cyber fraud networks were being operated by local people.
Citing a case in Ganderbal, he said investigations had uncovered a Chinese connection involving a Srinagar-based youth allegedly operating the network.
“It is wrong to sit here and cheat your own people. I appeal to young people to stay away from such activities and contribute positively to society,” he said.
On traffic violations, he expressed concern over rash driving, motorcycle stunts, modified silencers and high-speed biking, saying such practices endangered both riders and other road users. He said traffic enforcement had been intensified during the day and night to curb violations and improve road safety.
Citing a recent incident, he said Srinagar Police had traced a 20-year-old BSc first-year student who had uploaded a video performing motorcycle stunts on Foreshore Road. The youth was counselled by police and later posted a video appealing to others not to engage in dangerous stunts.
The IGP encouraged young people to use social media to promote responsible behaviour and share their experiences of overcoming drug addiction.
