Jammu Heroin Case: Drug Peddling Suspect Escapes NCB Custody, Manhunt Launched

Jammu, September 7, 2026: A suspected drug peddler escaped from the custody of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Jammu, prompting authorities to launch a manhunt and intensify checking operations across the region, officials said on Monday.

The suspect, identified as Aqib Bashir, a resident of Kakaporea in Pulwama district, was arrested by the NCB on September 3 after 522 grams of heroin was allegedly recovered from a passenger bus in Samba district.

Escape From Narwal Triggers Search

Bashir allegedly escaped from NCB custody at Narwal during the intervening night of Sunday and Monday, officials said. The escape has put police and other security agencies on alert as efforts continue to trace and apprehend him.

Following the incident, security personnel stepped up frisking and vehicle checks at key entry and exit points. Search teams have also been deployed at various locations.

Circumstances Of Escape Under Scrutiny

Officials are trying to ascertain the circumstances under which Bashir managed to escape from custody. The incident raises questions about security arrangements surrounding suspects held in connection with serious narcotics cases, particularly when substantial quantities of drugs are involved, PTI reports.

Bashir’s arrest was part of a month-long operation conducted by the NCB in the Jammu division. According to officials, the operation helped expose two separate routes allegedly being used by narcotics smugglers to push heroin into Jammu and Kashmir.

Two Heroin Routes Exposed

One route allegedly involved heroin being brought directly from Pakistan through the Uri sector, while the other involved drugs being transported indirectly through Punjab.

Over the past month, the NCB carried out four interceptions. Along with a linked recovery in Punjab, the agency seized a cumulative 6.920 kg of heroin and arrested six suspects.

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The seizures underline the scale of the challenge confronting enforcement agencies as they attempt to disrupt narcotics supply routes into Jammu and Kashmir. At the same time, Bashir’s escape means the immediate focus has shifted to locating him and establishing how he managed to get out of NCB custody.

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