Jammu Kashmir: 716 Arrests in 542 NDPS Cases in 2026, as 10,956 Cases Pending in Courts | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: The 17th Union Territory-level meeting of the Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD), chaired by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, on Tuesday reviewed enforcement, prosecution, and rehabilitation efforts under anti-narcotics operations in Jammu and Kashmir, with a focus on tightening legal processes and enhancing deterrence.

The meeting was attended by senior civil and police leadership, including the Director General of Police, Director General Prosecution, Principal Secretary Home, Administrative Secretaries, and Divisional Commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir. Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendents of Police from all districts joined via video conferencing.

Data presented during the meeting showed that 542 NDPS cases have been registered so far in 2026, resulting in the arrest of 716 individuals and seizure of 640 kilograms of narcotics valued at approximately Rs 18.49 crore. Officials also reported a rise in commercial quantity cases, with 31 such cases recorded this year compared to 19 during the same period last year.

The Chief Secretary directed the Law Department to examine the feasibility of recording statements of in-service witnesses through video conferencing to prevent trial delays caused by transfers. He also called for a systematic review of acquittals in NDPS cases to identify investigative or procedural lapses and fix accountability.

Emphasizing stricter enforcement, Dulloo instructed agencies to investigate both backward and forward linkages in drug trafficking networks and to actively challenge bail orders in serious cases to strengthen deterrence. He also advocated non-kinetic measures, including cancellation of driving licences, passports, and vehicle registrations, along with financial scrutiny to disrupt illicit proceeds.

On the rehabilitation front, the Chief Secretary stressed expanding counselling infrastructure across schools, colleges, and healthcare institutions. He tasked the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (IMHANS) with developing a pool of master trainers, ensuring at least three to four trained resource persons per district.

The meeting was informed that 10,956 NDPS cases are currently pending across courts in the Union Territory, including 6,156 cases in five Special NDPS Courts. In 2025, 1,991 cases were instituted while only 483 were disposed of, indicating a substantial backlog.

Commissioner Secretary Law Achal Sethi presented a detailed analysis of case trends, pendency, and disposal rates, and proposed measures to expedite proceedings. Meanwhile, IGP Crime Sarah Rizvi outlined enforcement actions and prosecution outcomes.

Conviction figures stood at 135 in 2024, 140 in 2025, and 23 so far in 2026. Of 1,435 prosecution witnesses who appeared in court, 839 were examined, while 596 returned unexamined, highlighting procedural gaps affecting trial efficiency.

The meeting also noted that in 24 cases, investigators successfully established trafficking linkages, leading to attachment of properties worth Rs 53.77 lakh and freezing of bank accounts amounting to Rs 22.63 lakh. Non-kinetic actions included recommendations for cancellation of 489 driving licences and suspension of 700 vehicle registrations between January and March this year.

The Chief Secretary further directed Deputy Commissioners to ensure full functionality of inpatient facilities in de-addiction centres across district hospitals and instructed the Health Department to maintain uninterrupted availability of essential medicines.

Officials reiterated the need for coordinated enforcement, strengthened prosecution, and expanded rehabilitation measures to curb drug trafficking and substance abuse in the Union Territory.