Two more associates of ‘Sonu gang’ in police custody

In a major breakthrough in the ongoing crackdown against drug mafias, two more associates of ‘Sonu Gang’, an interstate drug peddling racket, have been arrested by the police. The accused have been identified as Jagat Ram, a resident of Karsog, Mandi district and Nikhil Negi, a resident of Kinnaur district.

Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Rampur Naresh Sharma confirmed the report and said a case under section 21 (Punishment for contravention in relation to manufactured drugs and preparations), 27A (Punishment for financing illicit traffic and harbouring offenders) and 29 (Punishment for abetment and criminal conspiracy) of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act 1985 and section 111 (organized crime) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 has been registered against the accused and further investigation is underway.

He said that the accused were identified on the basis of bank transactions as well as backward linkages. “As soon as the accused were identified, police teams were sent to nab them, who successfully arrested both the accused,” he added.

“Till now, as many as 36 individuals associated with Sonu gang, including three women and two accused from Punjab, have been arrested by the police. These accused were involved in drug trafficking activities in Shimla, Mandi, Kullu and Kinnaur districts,” he said.

The SDPO further said that more members of the gangs will soon be arrested by the police.

On March 3, a police team from Rampur had arrested Sohan Lal, alias Sonu, the kingpin of the gang and his wife Geeta Shreshta with 26.68 grams chitta (heroin) in Nirath, around 18 kilometres away from Rampur Bushahr. After this, police initiated a major crackdown on the gang that was running a drug trafficking network in many districts of the state. During the investigation, it was also revealed that Sonu used to procure chitta from a couple from Punjab that was also later arrested by the police.

Himachal Tribune