200 CCTVs, 100 phones tracked: How Delhi 'drug queen' was caught after 2-month hunt

She slipped through raids, dodged police across states and stayed off the grid for months. But one final lead in Delhi changed everything, exposing a sprawling drug network run with chilling precision.

In Short

• Kusum was arrested in Shahdara after a two-month operation
• Police analysed over 200 CCTV cameras and 100 phones to track her
• Kusum led a family-run drug syndicate across multiple states

For weeks, she stayed invisible. Raids came and went, police teams closed in, and yet she slipped away every single time.

But on April 9, the chase ended.

Delhi Police arrested Kusum, known as the “drugs queen”, in Shahdara after a relentless two-month operation that stretched across Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Carrying a reward of Rs 50,000 and wanted under MCOCA, she had become one of the most elusive names on the police radar.

THE CHASE: 200 CAMERAS, 100 PHONES, ZERO MISTAKES

It began nearly two months ago when Shahdara police picked up inputs about her movement. What followed was a full-scale hunt.

Officers scanned footage from more than 200 CCTV cameras, days and weeks of recordings, while analysing over 100 mobile phone records to trace even the faintest clue.

Teams carried out multiple raids across states. Each time, Kusum was gone, sometimes minutes before police reached, sometimes without leaving a trace.

Her method was simple and effective: no smartphones, constant movement, new SIM cards, new hideouts.

THE FINAL TRAP IN SHAHDARA

Then came the breakthrough.

On Thursday, police received precise information, Kusum would enter Shahdara. This time, there was no room for error.

Teams were already in place. A trap was laid. The area was sealed.

Even then, Kusum tried one last escape, attempting to dodge the raid. But the net had tightened. Within moments, she was overpowered and arrested, bringing the high-stakes chase to a close.

A SYNDICATE RUN FROM WITHIN THE FAMILY

What unfolded during questioning pointed to a deeply entrenched network.

Kusum was not just a player. She was the alleged kingpin of an organised drug syndicate operating across multiple states.

Her daughters Deepa and Chiku, already arrested under MCOCA, were part of the operation. Her brother Hariom and associate Ravi were also involved.

Police said the network functioned like a tightly controlled unit, with family members playing key roles.

FROM PEDDLER TO DRUG QUEEN

Kusum’s journey began in Sultanpuri, Delhi, where she started as a small-time drug peddler.

Over time, she built her own network, one that grew beyond Delhi and spread into neighbouring states. With each passing year, her reach expanded, and so did her influence.

All the while, she stayed off the grid, relying on low-tech methods to stay ahead of law enforcement.

YEARS ON THE RUN, CASES PILING U P

Declared a proclaimed offender by a Rohini court, Kusum faces at least 11 cases under the NDPS Act between 2003 and 2024.

For years, she remained just out of reach.

Until now.

Her arrest, police said, is a major breakthrough in cracking down on organised drug networks operating in and around the capital, bringing an end to a chase that tested both patience and precision.

- Ends