Haridwar (Uttarakhand) [India], July 7 : Haridwar Police arrested a youth with a large consignment of illegal drugs worth around Rs three crore, days before the Kanwar Yatra begins.
Acting on Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami's directive to make Uttarakhand a drug-free state, the police seized 1.042 kg of pure smack and 457 grams of adulterated smack brought in with the intent to profit from the religious gathering, an official statement said.
According to Haridwar SSP Pramendra Singh Dobal, the accused, identified as Mursaleen, was apprehended during a routine inspection at the Pathri Power House within the limits of Bahadrabad police station.
SSP Dobal said that police had been receiving intelligence inputs suggesting that smack was being transported from Rajasthan to Haridwar and other neighbouring states.
The accused allegedly intended to sell the narcotics during the upcoming Kanwar Yatra, capitalising on the large crowds. Police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and further investigation is underway.
Apart from this, the Health Department has prepared a strict and dedicated action plan to provide pure and safe food to lakhs of devotees during the upcoming Kanwar Yatra, a statement said.
Special teams of food safety officers have been deployed in Haridwar, Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri and Uttarkashi districts. These teams will regularly collect samples of milk, sweets, oil, spices, beverages, and other items from the pandals and send them to laboratories for testing. If any sample does not meet the standards, the concerned place will be closed immediately, the statement said.
Additional Commissioner of Food Safety and Drug Administration, Tajbar Singh Jaggi, stated that the government has made it clear that no leniency will be shown to those conducting food business without a license. Those who adulterate or violate the rules will face both financial penalties and potential criminal action.
This year, the Kanwar Yatra procession will begin on July 12, during which Kanwariyas will collect water from a river and carry it hundreds of kilometres to offer it to the shrines of Lord Shiva.
According to Hindu beliefs, Parshuram, a devotee of Shiva and an avatar of Lord Vishnu, participated in the initial procession. Devotees across the country perform worship, fasting and pilgrimage dedicated to the Lord Shiva.