The Eastern Railway (ER) has claimed that the Railway Protection Force (RPF) along with the Government Railway Police (GRP) seized 2.115 kg of narcotics, suspected to be Brown Sugar, from a passenger of the Katihar-Howrah Express train at Malda Town station under "Operation Narcos" on Sunday evening.
If the substance turns out to be Brown Sugar after forensic tests, the seizure will be worth Rs 10 crore, one of the biggest such haul by railway security forces in recent times, it said in a statement on Monday.
"There was a tip-off regarding the transportation of contraband on a train to Howrah. The RPF and GRP made preparations accordingly and carried out a search on the 13034 Katihar-Howrah Express after it stopped at Malda Town station at 6.10 p.m. A man, matching the description in the intelligence tip was spotted in the general compartment at the rear end of the train. A search of his luggage led to the seizure of the material in five packets. The man has been taken into custody," said Kausik Mitra, CPRO, Eastern Railway.
According to an RPF official, the accused attempted to flee but was overpowered by the security personnel present. The GRP took possession of the suspected narcotics on the spot in the presence of M.K. Ray, assistant sub-inspector, RPF Post, Malda.
Subsequently, a case was registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. The accused was produced before a court on Monday and remanded to police custody. The police and officials of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) will be questioning him for details about the source of the drugs.
"ER and the RPF units under its jurisdiction are making all efforts to prevent all kinds of crimes, including the transportation of narcotics, human trafficking, thefts and robberies within railway premises, including trains. Our aim is to ensure passenger safety through the dedicated and coordinated efforts of the RPF and GRP," Mitra added.
Piyush Goyal meets top execs of Elon Musk's Starlink on firm’s India plans
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal held a meeting with top executives of Elon Musk’s Starlink here on Wednesday to discuss the company’s investment plans for India.
Tripura: Two workers killed, two injured after tree collapses
At least two workers, including a woman of MGNREGA, were killed and two more seriously injured when a big tree got uprooted and fell on them in Tripura’s mountainous Dhalai district on Wednesday, officials said.
Finland President dials PM Modi, discusses ongoing collaborations in digitalization, mobility
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finland President Alexander Stubb reiterated their commitment to further strengthen and deepen the partnership between the two countries, including in the areas of quantum, 5G-6G, AI and cyber-security during their telephonic conversation, on Wednesday.
Mamata Banerjee’s govt must be dismissed: Shiv Sena on Bengal violence
Shiv Sena MP and Spokesperson Naresh Mhaske on Wednesday launched a fierce attack against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s government, demanding the immediate dismissal of her government over its alleged failure to protect Hindus from repeated communal violence.
Herald case: BJP digs out Nehru-Patel's exchange to rebut Cong's charges
BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, addressing a press conference, put up written exchanges between India’s first PM, Nehru and Sardar Patel regarding the Associated Journals Limited (AJL), which controls the National Herald.
National Herald belongs to freedom fighters, not personal property of any family: Rajasthan BJP chief
Rajasthan BJP chief Madan Rathore on Wednesday lashed out at the Congress over the National Herald case, saying that the institution belongs to the freedom fighters, and it is not the personal property of any family.
'Concerned over violence': SC posts further hearing on Waqf (Amendment) Act challenge pleas for tomorrow
During the course of the hearing, the apex court indicated that it would pass an interim order providing that the properties already declared as waqf by court order or otherwise will not be denotified by virtue of the recent amendment.
Were Abdullahs on the same page with PM Modi on Article 370; ex-RAW chief says 'yes'
Former RAW chief, A.S. Dulat in his recent book, ‘The Chief Minister and the Spy’, has generated a storm in the tea cup for the ruling National Conference (NC) in Jammu and Kashmir by writing that the ‘former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah was secretly on board when Article 370 was removed’.