Another inter-state drug racket busted; kingpin nabbed

In a major crackdown on illicit drug trade in Shimla district, the police have arrested another inter-state drug kingpin who was allegedly responsible for running the trade, especially of chitta (heroin), in the Rampur region of the district.

The accused was identified as Daleep Kumar (37), alias Radhe, a resident of Maholi village in Kumarsain tehsil of the district. At present, he was residing in Ward No. 8 of Baddi in Solan district, from where he was arrested by cops.

He was arrested after one of his associates was nabbed with 47.74 gm of heroin from Kumarsain. On October 17, a person, identified as Sandeep Kumar (28), was arrested with 47.74 gm of chitta (heroin) in Maholi village. The police started probe in the matter, after which it came to know about the inter-state drug trade network. Later, a police team went to Baddi and arrested the kingpin.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Shimla Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi said Radhe was involved in illicit drug trade for a long time and was running an inter-state drug racket. Radhe had links with drug peddlers in Punjab from where he was procuring the contraband and supplying it in the Rampur region, he added.

“He has a team of around 20 to 25 drug peddlers who will also be arrested soon. His mother is also involved in the drug trade,” said the SP.

“A Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Rampur Naresh Sharma, has been constituted to probe the matter and work out further linkages,” he added.

This is the third drug kingpin who has been arrested in Shimla district this year. In September, the police had arrested Shashi Negi, alias Shahi Mahatma, an inter-state drug kingpin who was running a drug racket in the upper Shimla regions, mainly in Rohru, Theog, Kotkhai and Jubbal. Another inter-state drug kingpin Ravi Giri of Nepalese origin was arrested from Narkanda in June.