POLICE ARRESTED THREE MEMBERS OF INTERSTATE HEROIN SMUGGLERS

POLICE ARRESTED THREE MEMBERS OF INTERSTATE HEROIN SMUGGLERS

13-DEC-ENG 22

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA-------------------------Nawada police in Bhojpur district have unearthed a major interstate heroin smuggling network in a significant operation. Three interstate smugglers involved in smuggling heroin from Rajasthan via train have been arrested. Police recovered a total of 91.55 grams of heroin and four thousand rupees in cash from their possession. In addition, four mobile phones, including an iPhone, were also seized.

Following information provided by the STF, Nawada police took swift action and apprehended the three accused near the railway station near Bihari Mill in the Nawada police station area. The arrested smugglers have been identified as Ritesh Kumar alias Sonu, son of Suresh Singh, and Vicky Kumar, son of Damodar Singh, both residents of Chhota Kalyanpur village in Udvantnagar police station area, and Ritesh Kumar, son of Vinod Singh, a resident of Akhtiyarpur Barka village in the same police station area. Of the three, Ritesh Kumar alias Sonu played a central role, as he himself had brought the consignment of heroin from Kota to Ara by train.

Superintendent of Police Raj, giving detailed information in this regard, said that on December 7, a confidential tip was received from the STF. According to the information, two or three youths were about to arrive near Bihari Mill railway station for the purpose of buying and selling heroin. Specifically, a young man named Ritesh Kumar alias Sonu was coming to Ara from another state with a large consignment of heroin by train. Based on this serious information, a special team was formed to ensure the arrest of the smugglers and the recovery of the heroin. This team was led by Station House Officer Bipin Bihari and Circle Inspector Vishnu Dev Singh as the magistrate in charge.

The members of the team, Sub-Inspector Deepak Kumar along with police personnel, immediately reached near Bihari Mill railway station. There, they saw two youths arriving on a motorcycle. Shortly afterward, a young man who had alighted from the train quickly approached the boys on the motorcycle. Observing this suspicious activity, the police team took swift action and apprehended all three. During the initial questioning and search, 88.55 grams of heroin, 2200 rupees in cash, and a mobile phone were recovered from Ritesh Kumar alias Sonu. From the second accused, Ritesh Kumar, approximately three grams of heroin in three packets of paan masala, 1820 rupees in cash, and two mobile phones, including an iPhone, were recovered. Three mobile phones, including two iPhones, were seized from the third accused, Vicky Kumar.

During intensive questioning, Ritesh Kumar alias Sonu revealed that he purchased heroin from a man named Durga Shankar in Kota city, Rajasthan. He would bring the consignment to Ara by train and then, along with Ritesh and Vicky, sell it in Ara and the surrounding areas. He also stated that a few days earlier, he had sent one lakh rupees to Durga Shankar, after which he went to Kota to collect the heroin. The accused Ritesh Kumar also confirmed in his statement that they had previously purchased and sold heroin from Durga Shankar. Whenever needed, they would send money to Durga Shankar's mobile number, and he would send the heroin through Ritesh Kumar alias Sonu. Currently, the police are interrogating all three and investigating the heroin trafficking network.