Notorious Drug Trafficker Charged in Anantnag; Medical Shops Licenses Suspended in Rajouri

Srinagar, June 16: The police in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir reported on Tuesday that they have filed a case against a notorious drug trafficker. Meanwhile, authorities in Rajouri have suspended the licenses of two medical shops for selling restricted medicines without a doctor’s prescription.

Anantnag police stated, “Continuing our relentless action against drug trafficking and substance abuse, we have registered a case against a notorious drug trafficker under the provisions of the PIT-NDPS Act.”

The accused, Nisar Ahmed Gagroo (son of the late Ali Mohammad Gagroo, resident of Sof Shali, Kokernag), was found involved in several cases registered under the NDPS Act and was continuously engaged in illegal drug trafficking activities, posing a serious threat to society, especially the youth.

Following the preparation of a dossier by Anantnag police and obtaining necessary approval from the competent authority, the case against the accused was registered. He is currently in Jammu’s Central Jail Kot Bhalwal, where a detention warrant has been executed. Preventive detention has been implemented to effectively curb his involvement in drug-related activities and to prevent him from continuing drug trafficking.

Anantnag police remain committed to their zero-tolerance policy against drugs and will continue strict legal action against drug traffickers and others involved in substance-related crimes to ensure a drug-free society.

In a separate significant action against violations of drug regulations, Rajouri’s Deputy Commissioner Abhishek Sharma suspended the licenses of two medical stores following serious irregularities found during a surprise inspection in Rajouri city.

The inspection, conducted in the presence of Rajouri’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Manohar Lal Rana and SHO Rajouri, aimed to prevent the misuse of restricted medicines and ensure strict compliance with the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

During the inspection, officials examined records related to the sale and distribution of controlled medicines and checked stock registers to confirm compliance with licensing conditions. Serious deficiencies were found at Hopewell Medicos (Kheora, Rajouri) and Star Medicos (Gujjar Mandi), including failure to maintain necessary sales records through a computerized billing system and alleged irregularities in the sale of addictive medicines.

Taking these violations seriously, the licensing authority suspended the retail drug sale licenses of both establishments under the relevant provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act until further orders.

The Deputy Commissioner reiterated that the sale and distribution of regulated pharmaceutical products must strictly adhere to legal regulations to prevent misuse and safeguard public health.

He warned that strict legal action would be taken against any medical store found violating licensing conditions or involved in the illegal sale of restricted medicines.

He instructed all chemists and pharmacy operators to maintain accurate records, ensure transparency through computerized billing, and comply with all licensing requirements without exception.

The Deputy Commissioner further stated that the district administration is committed to combating drug abuse and making Rajouri a drug-free district. He emphasized that surprise inspections of medical stores would continue across the district to enforce the law strictly and protect public interest.