In a major crackdown against drug trafficking and illegal encroachments, the Kulgam Police along with the district administration demolished illegal shops and structures allegedly linked to drug peddlers in the Drien Dawlatabad area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district. The action is being seen as part of the administration’s intensified campaign to dismantle the financial and operational networks of narcotics traders in the region.
Officials said the demolition drive was carried out under the ongoing anti-drug initiative aimed at making the district free from narcotics-related activities. Police teams, assisted by revenue department officials, reached the area with heavy machinery and razed several illegally constructed shops reportedly built on encroached land. Authorities claimed that the structures were being used to support unlawful activities connected to drug trafficking.
According to police sources, the operation was conducted on the directions of senior district police officers and under close supervision of local officials. The administration stated that such strong action would continue against individuals involved in the drug trade, particularly those who have allegedly accumulated illegal assets through narcotics-related activities.
The police also reiterated that the crackdown is part of the larger “Nasha Mukt Jammu & Kashmir Abhiyan,” under which authorities are targeting both drug peddlers and properties acquired through illegal earnings. In recent weeks, several similar operations have been conducted across Kulgam district, including retrieval of government land and demolition of structures linked to alleged narcotics dealers.
Local residents gathered near the demolition site as officials carried out the operation. While some welcomed the move and demanded stricter action against drug mafias, others expressed concern over the growing influence of narcotics in rural areas of south Kashmir. Police appealed to the public to cooperate with law enforcement agencies and share information related to drug peddling, assuring confidentiality for informants.
Officials further warned that anyone found involved in drug trafficking, illegal encroachment, or aiding narcotics networks would face strict legal consequences. The district administration maintained that the campaign against drugs would continue aggressively in the coming days to curb the spread of narcotics among youth and restore public confidence in law enforcement.
