Jammu, Aug 23 (IANS) Troops of the Border Security Force (BSF) on Saturday said that in a joint operation a narco smuggler was arrested and heroin worth Rs 50 lakh was recovered from his possession in Jammu and Kashmir’s (J&K) Jammu district.

A BSF spokesperson said that on August 22, based on specific Intelligence provided by BSF Jammu, a joint search operation was launched by BSF Jammu and NCB Jammu, during which one narco smuggler was apprehended and heroin worth Rs 50 lakh was recovered from his possession in Miran Sahib area of Jammu.

Further investigation into the case has been taken up by the authorities concerned, the spokesperson added.

Security forces in J&K have been carrying out aggressive operations against terrorists, their Over Ground Workers (OGWs) and sympathisers instead of just focussing on the elimination of terrorists.

Lieutenant-Governor, Manoj Sinha has emphasised that the security forces have to dismantle the entire ecosystem of terror in J&K instead of just focussing on neutralising gun wielding terrorists.

The L-G has been chairing periodic review meetings of the security forces to ensure that the UT is rid of the scourge of terrorism that has plagued normal life in J&K since 1989.

The spread of terrorism posed grave threat to the lives of the minority local Pandit community. A vast majority of this community was forced to leave their homes and seek shelter outside the Valley.

Unless complete peace returns to Kashmir, despite government efforts, the return of the Kashmiri Pandit community to their ancestral places will remain an elusive dream.

An ambitious PM recruitment and rehabilitation package, construction of flats at safer places for the migrant Kashmiri Pandits are some of the steps taken by the Union government and the UT to ensure the return of the community to their roots.

All sales of the local Pandit community after 1990 have been declared as distress sales by the J&K High Court to safeguard the properties of the migrant Pandits.

Security forces and Intelligence agencies believe that the funds generated through hawala money rackets and drug smuggling are finally used to sustain terrorism in the UT.

–IANS

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