The Nurpur police achieved a major breakthrough in dismantling an alleged inter-state drug trafficking network by arresting the kingpin, Shubhkaran, from Chandigarh on Saturday evening. He hails from Samkehar village in the neighboring Jawali Assembly constituency.
Earlier, authorities had intercepted an Alto car (temporary number T1025-HP-1132) at a special naka on the interstate border at Kandwal. Three men—Anu Kumar, Suresh Kumar, and Ram Lal from Paddar tehsil in Mandi district—were apprehended with 6.044 kg of charas. A case was registered under Sections 20 and 29 of the NDPS Act, and the trio was sent to judicial custody.
Paddar is known as a hotspot for cannabis cultivation, making it a focus area for law enforcement.
According to Nurpur DSP Chander Pal Singh, the interrogation of the three arrested men led to a breakthrough and the identification of Shubhkaran as the mastermind behind the drug smuggling network. He had orchestrated the delivery of cannabis to other peddlers in Mandi when his associates were intercepted.
The DSP also noted that Shubhkaran is a habitual drug trafficker. Two FIRs were previously registered against him: one in January 2023 by Jawali police following the recovery of 780 gm of cannabis, and another in March 2024 by Kangra police after 1.943 kg of cannabis was seized from him.
Authorities are continuing investigations into the full extent of the network and its operations.
