2 Arrested In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar For Selling Narcotic Pills; Police Trace Supply Link To Surat

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The Anti-Narcotics Cell of the Crime Branch has arrested two members of a gang involved in the illegal sale of 'Nitrosun-10' tablets, which are reportedly drawing the city's youth into drug addiction. The operation was carried out around midnight on Friday following a trap laid in an open ground near the Panchayat Samiti office. A total of 110 such narcotic tablets were seized from the accused. The arrested men have been identified as Shahebaz Rais Shaikh (24) and Shubham Ramesh Dere (28), both residents of Shatabdi Nagar.

The trail of this racket leads all the way to Surat in Gujarat. The alleged mastermind behind the operation, Avesh Farukh Bagwan, a resident of Shatabdi Nagar who also served as the primary supplier, fled as soon as he sensed that action was being taken against him. Senior Police Inspector Gajanan Kalyankar said that a case has been registered against three individuals at the City Chowk Police Station.

Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Jadhav and Sub-Inspector Uttareshwar Munde of the police team received confidential information that narcotic pills were being supplied on a large scale in the areas of Salim Ali Sarovar, City Chowk, Ganesh Nagar and Shatabdi Nagar. Acting on this information, the team laid a trap around 9pm on Friday in the open ground near the Panchayat Samiti office. Shahebaz Shaikh and Shubham Dere, who were standing there in a suspicious manner, were taken into custody. A search of their belongings led to the recovery of 110 'Nitrosun-10' tablets.

Further investigation revealed that Shubham Dere had a serious case registered against him two years ago at the City Chowk Police Station under the POCSO Act. However, this is the first time that Shahebaz and Avesh have figured in police records.

Shahebaz confessed that he had procured the pills from his brother-in-law, Avesh. Avesh brings narcotic pills into the city from Surat. Subsequently, Shahebaz and Shubham discreetly sell these pills across various parts of the city. In several previous anti-narcotics operations, a 'Surat connection' has come to light.

The police team comprising Satish Jadhav, Deshraj More, Vishal Mete, Nitesh Sundarde, Sartaj Pathan and Home Guard Pathan carried out the operation.