In a shocking development, Ludhiana Rural Police have arrested three serving Indian Army personnel for their alleged involvement in heroin smuggling from the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir to Punjab.
The accused have been identified as:
Vikramjit Singh (25), a sepoy from Bhanour village, Ludhiana
Jaswinder Singh Jassi, a havildar from Chingar Kalan village, Hoshiarpur
Baljinder Singh Balli, another havildar from Jaiton, Faridkot
According to police, the trio used their leave periods to transport heroin smuggled from Pakistan across the LoC, distributing it to local peddlers in Punjab.
The investigation began with the arrest of Vikramjit Singh at a checkpoint in Pamal village, where 255 grams of heroin were recovered from him. Upon interrogation, Vikramjit confessed to being part of a drug racket involving serving soldiers.
Based on his confession, police teams travelled to Srinagar and arrested Jaswinder and Baljinder, who were still on active duty. The suspects allegedly operated the smuggling ring for several months, driven by the allure of quick money.
Senior police officials expressed alarm at the breach of military discipline. “This is a serious development. Drug networks infiltrating the armed forces is deeply concerning,” said an investigating officer.
A case under Sections 21 and 25 of the NDPS Act has been registered at Jodhan police station. Authorities are probing the broader network and whether more personnel are involved.
