Residential Structure Belonging To Drug Peddler Demolished In Srinagar

SRINAGAR, Jun 4: An illegally constructed three-storey residential structure belonging to an alleged drug peddler was demolished in Srinagar on Thursday as part of the ongoing crackdown on narcotics-related crimes in Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

Srinagar Police, in coordination with the Revenue Department, demolished the structure belonging to Sheikh Tasaduq at Mumkhan Mohalla in the Rainawari area. The property was valued at around Rs 2 crore.

Police said the action forms part of the sustained campaign against drug trafficking under the Nasha Mukt Jammu and Kashmir Abhiyaan.

According to officials, Tasaduq is involved in multiple cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act registered in Awantipora and Budgam. His spouse, Sheikh Maroofa, is also facing an NDPS case registered in Pulwama.

A police spokesman said a detailed inquiry into the assets owned and possessed by the accused established that the three-storey concrete structure had been built on encroached state land and was allegedly financed through proceeds from illegal narcotics trafficking.

The demolition also led to the recovery of valuable government land worth crores of rupees from illegal occupation, the spokesman said.

Investigations further revealed that the property constituted illegally acquired assets representing financial gains from unlawful narcotics activities, besides being an unauthorised encroachment on state land.

After completion of all legal formalities and in accordance with due process, the structure was demolished in the presence of revenue authorities, police said.