The Ropar police today arrested five alleged drug smugglers after a brief exchange of fire near Nangal town in the district. One of the accused sustained a bullet injury during the operation and was admitted to the BBMB Hospital in Nangal for treatment.
Police sources said the accused were allegedly carrying heroin to supply local peddlers operating in the Nangal area. Acting on a specific intelligence input, a police team laid a naka near Naya Nangal and intercepted a suspicious white Hyundai Accent car.
Ropar SSP Maninder Singh said the police had received information that a group of drug smugglers was moving towards Nangal in the vehicle. Following the tip-off, a team led by officials of Naya Nangal police post set up a checkpoint to intercept the suspects.
“When the police party signalled the vehicle to stop, the occupants attempted to flee and fired two rounds at the naka party in an effort to escape,” the SSP said. He added that the police immediately launched a chase and pursued the vehicle for nearly 10 km.
During the pursuit, police personnel managed to stop the vehicle. To prevent the accused from escaping and neutralise the threat posed by the armed suspects, one round was fired from a service weapon, which struck one of the accused, identified as Lovepreet Singh, on the shoulder.
He was taken into custody and shifted to the BBMB Hospital, Nangal, where he is undergoing treatment. Police officials said his condition was stable.
The other accused were apprehended on the spot. They were identified as Lovepreet Singh of Jangpura in Mohali district, Rohit of Hisar, Shubham of Jind, Parikshit of Sonipat and Lehmastak Pratap Singh of Chandigarh.
During the operation, the police recovered 150 grams of heroin, a .32-bore pistol loaded with five live cartridges and the Hyundai Accent car used by the accused.
The sources said preliminary investigations indicated that the accused had come to Nangal to deliver the consignment to local drug peddlers. “The police are examining both backward and forward linkages of the accused to identify their suppliers, associates and local contacts. Further investigation is underway and more arrests may follow,” the SSP said. A case under relevant provisions of the NDPS Act and the Arms Act has been registered.
