AMRITSAR
The anti-drug special task force (STF) of Punjab Police arrested a drug smuggler after hot chase at Dubar Basti village falling under the Ajnala sub-division on Monday.
The accused has been identified as Sonu Masih of Khanwal village. Sonu’s father Roopa Masih is the village sarpanch and owes allegiance to the Congress.
Police have also recovered 1kg and 100 gm of heroin and a .32 bore pistol from his possession. Police said the accused was arrested after his Hyundai i-20 car skidded off the road and veered into a field while he was being chased. During the chase, the accused fired four rounds on the police party and the cops also retaliated, said a senior official.
Assistant inspector general (AIG-STF), border range, Rashpal Singh said Masih was wanted by the police as he jumped parole granted by the Punjab and Haryana high court for the treatment of his wife. “In 2019, Masih was arrested with 1 kg of heroin and a pistol by a team of STF. He had also applied for bail in a court. Some days ago, while hearing the bail plea of Masih, the court had instructed us to nab him for jumping parole,” the STF AIG said.
A police team patrolling in the border area got a tip-off that Masih was seen in the area. “The team tried to arrest Masih, but he opened fire and managed to sped away in his car. The police started chasing Sonu and managed to nab him when his car got stuck in a field,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}A police team patrolling in the border area got a tip-off that Masih was seen in the area. “The team tried to arrest Masih, but he opened fire and managed to sped away in his car. The police started chasing Sonu and managed to nab him when his car got stuck in a field,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}The AIG said the accused will be produced in a local court.
Another STF official, who didn’t wish to be named, said the recovered heroin appeared to be smuggled from across the border. “We are trying to ascertain the identities of those who had been working with Masih,” he added.
A case under Section 307 (attempt to murder) and various Sections of the NDPS Act and the Arms Act has been registered against the accused at STF’s Mohali police station.