New Delhi, Oct 3: The Rs 3,000-crore drug bust off the Lakshadweep Islands early this week has dealt a major blow to the Haji Salim network, but the bigger challenge for the alleged Inter Services Intelligence-backed syndicate is the shrinking availability of viable maritime routes into India.

Intensified coastal surveillance and heightened security have made traditional landing points increasingly difficult to use, forcing the network to shift routes, take greater risks, and search for new entry points for moving large consignments of narcotics.

Five Pakistani nationals operating the vessel were arrested, and 400 kg of methamphetamine and 126 kg of high-grade drugs worth over Rs 3,000 crore were seized during the operation by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad.

An official said that the investigations show that the consignment was intended to land in Tamil Nadu, following which it was to be smuggled into international markets.

“Haji Salim, a Dawood Ibrahim aide, is in charge of narcotic smuggling into the southern states. From there it is taken to Sri Lanka and to countries such as Thailand,” the official said.

For the Haji Salim, the seizure of such a massive consignment is no doubt a setback, but the bigger worry for the syndicate is that it is running out of routes.

“Earlier, Gujarat was the most preferred route for the Haji Salim network. However, in recent times there have been multiple busts on this route, and the network has incurred massive losses following heightened security,” the official said.

The surveillance has increased manifold along the Gujarat route, and smuggling has become extremely difficult for the gang. This has forced the Haji Salim network to send the consignment of drugs using alternate routes.

Since the network shifted south, the Iranian dhow that was carrying the consignment had to be tracked and intercepted 160 nautical miles northwest of Lakshadweep.

Another official said the Haji Salim network now faces a fresh challenge as the new route has also come under the radar of coastal agencies.

“The network may have spent months planning the alternate route to bypass Gujarat. However, following the latest joint operation by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Gujarat ATS, the Salim gang is likely to start looking for another route,” the official said.

The officials say that very soon, the ISI-backed Salim syndicate will run out of routes.

Earlier, the most preferred route prior to Gujarat was Vizhinjam near Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. However, there were multiple successive actions carried out by the agencies, which led to several consignments being busted.

“Currently the surveillance at this seaport is at an all-time high and smuggling narcotics is next to impossible here,” the official said.

An Intelligence Bureau official said that Haji Salim managed to find new landing points at Kasargod and Malappuram, in north Kerala

“These locations have relatively low levels of coastal surveillance, making them ideal landing points for the network. However, it is only a matter of time before surveillance is stepped up in these areas,” the official said.

The officials say that although the Indian agencies have shut down several routes and conducted successive operations, they cannot become complacent. There is a lot at stake here, and both the ISI and the Haji Salim network are in need of funds. With so many of their contingents being busted in recent times, the losses that they have incurred is huge.

Further, Haji Salim is also under immense pressure from his international buyers to deliver narcotics in huge quantities.

If busts such as these continue to take place, then the international buyers would start looking for other avenues and this would cause a major dent for the Haji Salim network, officials say.

For the ISI too, such busts represent a major setback.

Officials said that under arrangements allegedly struck by the ISI with narcotics operators such as Dawood Ibrahim and Haji Salim, the drug cartels are required to hand over 40 percent of their proceeds from the narcotics trade. In return, the ISI is alleged to provide protection to the networks.

Officials said the money is largely used to finance terror activities in India.

The fact is that the Haji Salim network is running out of routes in India to move its consignments. While Salim plans newer routes, he also has to deal with the pressure from international buyers who are likely to pursue other avenues if this network does not get its act together, another official said.

New Delhi, Oct 3: The Delhi Police registered at least three FIRs in connection with protests held in the national Capital demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, officials said.

Two of the FIRs were registered at the Parliament Street Police Station, while another case was registered at the Connaught Place Police Station, according to officials.

They added that the cases have been registered under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to disobedience of an order duly promulgated by a public servant.

No individual or organisation has been specifically named as an accused in any of the FIRs, officials said. However, they added that the details of the organisers as well as organisations that had proposed or participated in the demonstrations have been included in the contents of the cases.

The FIRs were registered following a day of protests across central Delhi, where Opposition activists, students and members of youth organisations attempted to march towards Jantar Mantar to raise their demands.

Police detained over 1,000 protesters as they tried to cross barricades and make their way towards the designated protest site, according to officials. Those detained from the streets were taken away in buses arranged by the Delhi Police and transported to different police stations across the city.

Among those detained were former Delhi Chief Minister and senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi, AISA president Neha Bora and Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav. The detainees also included several AAP leaders, civil society activists, members of Left-backed student organisations and workers associated with the Congress’ youth wing.

The protests were organised amid demands for accountability over alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise and calls for the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.

The Delhi Police had earlier said that permission had not been granted for the proposed demonstration at Jantar Mantar and had put extensive security arrangements in place across central Delhi.

Noida, Oct 3: In a horrific incident, a young man committed suicide on Saturday by jumping from the 43rd floor of the posh Supernova building in Uttar Pradesh’s Noida.

The incident took place at the Aspire Tower of the Supernova society in Noida Sector 94.

The impact of the fall was such that the victim’s body was severed into two pieces.

A sound resembling a bomb blast was reportedly heard in the complex due to the impact of the fall.

According to reports, the young man who committed suicide was staying at Supernova’s AIR BNB.

Meanwhile, a video showing the man jumping from the building has gone viral on social media.

The identity and reason for the suicide have not yet been revealed. Police are currently investigating the matter.

However, according to media reports quoting an AC mechanic who tried to stop the man from jumping, the youth allegedly committed suicide after saying that he was depressed.

However, this has not been independently verified.

The video of the suicide that was taken by the horrified residents below, has gone viral.

In another case of suicide reported last month, a first-year MCA student hanged himself in his room in Sector Alpha-2, under the jurisdiction of the Beta-2 Police Station in Greater Noida.

Upon receiving information about the incident, police reached the spot, took possession of the body, and sent it for a post-mortem examination.

Police officials, along with a team from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), inspected the scene. The reason behind the suicide was unknown at the time of filing the report.

According to police, the deceased was identified as Abhishek, son of Umesh Chandra, a resident of Nagla Khago under the Patyali Police Station area of UP’s Kasganj district. Abhishek had been living at House No. 364, Block H, Sector Alpha-2.

He had reportedly moved to Noida about a month prior to the incident and was pursuing his first-year MCA course through online classes.