Srinagar, May 28: Four drug peddlers were arrested in Jammu and Kashmir’s Sopore area, said police on Wednesday, adding that narcotic substances were recovered from them.

“Based on specific inputs received from the public, Sopore Police launched a series of well-coordinated operations leading to the arrest of four drug peddlers and seizure of narcotic substances, including codeine-based syrup and brown sugar-like material,” said the police in a statement.

Three separate FIRs have been registered under relevant sections of the NDPS Act.

In the first incident at Adipora Crossing, one Rameez Ahmad Mir, son of Ghulam Hassan Mir, resident of Adipora Sopore, was arrested with 13 bottles of codeine-like substance with tampered labels. In the second operation, Waseem Ahmad Mir, son of Ghulam Hassan Mir, also a resident of Adipora Sopore, was apprehended at Malpora-Warpora Crossing while attempting to flee from the naka point. A quantity of brown sugar-like substance was recovered from his possession.

In another significant bust at Chijhama Crossing, two individuals — Javid Ahmad Bhat, son of Mohammad Subhan Bhat, and Rayees Ahmad Baba, son of Bashir Ahmad Baba, both residents of Marzipora — were arrested while transporting codeine-based substances in a truck (JK05E-4845), which was also seized.

“These arrests are part of Sopore Police’s sustained crackdown on the drug network threatening the lives of local youth,” said the statement.

SSP Sopore, while reaffirming the district police’s commitment, stated: “These operations underscore our zero-tolerance policy against drug peddling. Let this be a strong message — those involved in the narcotics trade will face strict legal action. With public support, we are determined to rid Sopore of this menace.”

Sopore Police has thanked the public for their continued cooperation and urged citizens to keep reporting suspicious activities to help build a safer, drug-free society.

Police and the security forces have started an aggressive campaign against drug smugglers and drug peddlers in Jammu and Kashmir.

Security forces and the intelligence agencies believe that the funds generated by drug smuggling and hawala rackets are finally used to support terrorism in the union territory. The anti-terrorism operations, therefore, include operations against drug smuggling as well.

Chennai, May 28: Nearly five months after the sexual assault of a student inside the Anna University campus, the Mahila Court in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, on Wednesday found the sole accused, Gnanasekaran (37), guilty on 11 counts, including rape.

The court, presided over by Judge M. Rajalakshmi, announced that sentencing will be pronounced on June 2.

The charge sheet in the case was filed on February 24 by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) that took over the probe from the Greater Chennai Police.

Gnanasekaran, a roadside biryani

vendor and a DMK local leader with a known criminal background, was initially arrested by the local police soon after the incident.

According to the prosecution, the incident took place on December 23, 2024, when the victim, a second-year engineering student, was spending time with her male friend on campus.

Gnanasekaran confronted the couple, threatened them with a fabricated video of them being intimate, and warned that he would share it with university officials to have them expelled.

He then coerced the boy into leaving and manipulated the girl into following him to a secluded part of the campus. Pretending that the boy was being investigated by university staff, he further intimidated the victim.

When she refused to comply with his demands, Gnanasekaran allegedly sexually assaulted her and recorded the act on his mobile phone.

He later took her phone number and blackmailed her, threatening to send the video to her father and college authorities if she failed to meet him again. However, the girl demonstrated remarkable courage by refusing to stay silent.

With the support of her family and college authorities, she filed a complaint the very next day at the Kotturpuram All Women Police Station. The swift action by the police led to Gnanasekaran’s immediate arrest.

During the trial, his counsel pleaded for leniency in sentencing, citing personal grounds. However, the prosecution strongly objected, stressing the heinous nature of the crime and the long history of criminal offences attributed to the accused.

Judge Rajalakshmi, after hearing both sides, reserved the pronouncement of sentence for June 2.

The verdict has been hailed as a significant step toward justice for the survivor and a strong message against crimes targeting women on educational campuses.

New Delhi, May 28: In a swift operation, Delhi Police’s West District team from Police Station Moti Nagar solved a major theft case involving Rs 35 lakh within just 48 hours of the crime being reported.

The accused, identified as Vivek Raj alias Sahil, a 23-year-old accountant employed at the victim company, was arrested from Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rs 34,98,550 in stolen cash was recovered from his possession.

According to an official press release issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Vichitra Veer, the incident occurred on May 24, when a call was received at the police station Moti Nagar reporting the theft of Rs 35 lakh from Dynamic Forge Company’s office at Magnum House-2, Karampura.

The complainant, a Field Officer at the company, informed the police that he had locked the cash in an almirah before leaving for another office branch. At the time of the incident, the only person present in the office was the accountant, later identified as the accused.

Upon his return, the complainant discovered the almirah open and the cash missing, following which a case was registered, and investigations were launched.

A specialised team was immediately formed under the supervision of Inspector Varun Dalal, SHO Moti Nagar, comprising Sub Inspector Parveen Kumar, ASI Rajinder, Head Constable Amit, and HC Jatin. The team conducted extensive raids across Gurugram, Noida, and Azamgarh, checking over 40 hotels and using both technical surveillance and human intelligence to trace the suspect.

The breakthrough came on May 26, when the team received a tip-off from a secret informer about the accused’s presence at Manglam Hotel in Azamgarh.

Upon verification, hotel staff confirmed that a man matching Vivek Raj’s description was staying in one of the rooms. Police moved in and apprehended him.

During interrogation, he admitted to the crime and led officers to a black carry bag on the bed, which contained Rs 34,98,550 in cash. The recovery was made in the presence of hotel staff and independent witnesses.

The accused, Vivek Raj alias Sahil, son of Bihari Lal, is a resident of Village Bhangrola, Manesar, Gurugram, Haryana, and is currently in police custody.

The swift action and near-complete recovery of the stolen amount have been widely appreciated. The Delhi Police press release commended the efforts of the investigative team, stating, “The theft of Rs. 35 lakhs was solved within 48 hours by the team of PS Moti Nagar.”