Crime
UP Orders Inquiry After Uttarakhand Police Raids in Bareilly Villages
Bareilly: A day after nearly 300 Uttarakhand police officers stormed two villages in Bareilly in a large-scale crackdown on drug-related activities, the Uttar Pradesh police have ordered an inquiry into multiple complaints lodged by local residents. The raids, conducted in the early hours of Tuesday in Fatehganj West and Agras villages, were led by Udham Singh Nagar SSP Manikant Mishra.
Uttarakhand police claimed they had received intelligence suggesting that individuals wanted in drug cases in Uttarakhand were operating from these villages. “They arrived in around 70 government and private vehicles, disguising some of them as wedding processions by pasting marriage party stickers,” said a senior Uttar Pradesh police officer. However, the operation has sparked controversy, with local residents calling the raids “unlawful and baseless.” Bareilly’s Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Anurag Arya confirmed that the local police were not informed about the operation. “We have received multiple complaints regarding the raid by the Uttarakhand police. I have assigned Deputy SP (Highway) Nilesh Mishra to investigate the matter and submit a report within three days. We will determine further action based on the findings,” SSP Arya said.
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During the operation, 16 individuals were detained and taken to Pul Bhatta police station in Uttarakhand’s Udham Singh Nagar. Of them, 15 were later released, while one, identified as Mohammad Asif, was arrested. “Asif has been involved in drug peddling in our area for a long time and has existing NDPS cases against him. He has been sent to judicial custody, and our probe to identify more accused is ongoing,” said Pul Bhatta SHO Pradeep Mishra. The raid, however, has drawn sharp criticism from locals, particularly as it took place when residents were preparing for ‘iftaar’ during Ramadan.
“Suddenly, a group of policemen began banging on my door. When I opened it, they barged in, shouting abuses. They took my four sons—Shahid, Rashid, Adnan, and Arif—accusing them of being drug peddlers,” said 52-year-old Agras resident Varisa Khatun, who later filed a complaint at Fatehganj West police station.
Roshan Lal, 55, another local who was detained and later released, said he was falsely accused. “I have no criminal record, yet the Uttarakhand police picked me up, claiming I was involved in drug smuggling,” he said. Meanwhile, Uttarakhand’s IG Law and Order Nilesh Bharne distanced himself from the operation, stating, “We were neither informed about this raid nor was it conducted under our instructions.”
The Uttar Pradesh police inquiry is expected to determine whether proper legal protocols were followed in the inter-state operation and whether any action needs to be taken against those involved.