Srinagar, September 20: Five smugglers were arrested along with banned crops while bhung cultivated over 20 kanals of land was destroyed in Kashmir valley, official sources said here today.
They said on a tip-off that a smuggler from Awantipora, Pulwama district, was carrying drugs, police conducted a raid at Lal Chowk in south Kashmir district of Anantnag.
The smuggler identified as Farooq Ahmad Sheikh was later arrested along with 25 kg of poppy straw, they said.
On similar information, police established a naka checking at Wathora Gunjoo road in Pulwama district of south Kashmir.
During the checking police arrested four people identified as Waseem Ahmad Bhat, Manzoor Ahmad Bhat, Ghulam Hussain Mir and Ali Mohammad Mir alongwith 26 kg of poppy straw. The tractor in which they were travelling in was also seized by the police, they said. Meanwhile, in its continued drive against cultivation of banned crops, police raided village Wawani in Pulwama district after receiving information that some farmers had cultivated banned crops.
Police destroyed bhung cultivated over 20 kanals of land, they said adding a case has been registered against the land owners.
However, no one was arrested.
—Agencies