E-Paper
GRP recoveries of banned substances in Ludhiana saw sharp rise in 2021
The Government Railway Police (GRP) reported a sharp increased in recoveries of banned substances in Ludhiana in 2021, with maximum drugs being seized in the period between March and November when trains schedule returning to normal following a year of Covid-induced disruptions
With train schedules returning to normality in 2021 after nearly a year of pandemic-induced disruptions, t he Government Railway Police (GRP) also reported a sharp increased in recoveries of banned substances.
The GRP seized a total of 135kg poppy husk in 2021, a significant number given that no recoveries were made in 2020.
While the railway police seized 95kg poppy husk in May at the Ludhiana railway station, 22 kg and 18 kg of the husk was recovered in two separate incidents in September and November.
Speaking about the recoveries, inspector Jaskaran Singh said, “Most of the offenders were held during the checking drives in the trains and a few were nabbed during checking at the platforms.”
“At times, we get secret information regarding a person travelling with the contraband or else we arrest the offenders during checking drives,” he added.
The GRP also recovered 9.3kg of opium—in four cases seizing 1.5kg, 1.3kg, 3kg and 3.5kg respectively—last year, an increase from 8.4kg in 2020.
The amount of seized ganja also went up to 8kg from 4kg, as did the number of pills and tablets that shot up to 2100 from 40 in the period.
Decline in recoveries for charas and heroin
The railway police seized only 4kg charas last year, down from 10kg recovered in 2020. The authorities also made no recoveries for heroin, of which 20gm heroin was seized in 2020.
GRP, Ludhiana registered a total of 14 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) cases last year, in comparison to 12 that registered in 2020.
“The trains remained off track since lockdown in 2020 and started running in March last year after relaxation in the pandemic safety guidelines and hence no checking drives were initiated in January and February too. Maximum recoveries were made between March mid-November as most of the trains were cancelled permanently due to dense fog by the railways last year,” an official said.
