Shivam Bakshi
Samba, Nov 13 (NVI): Samba Police have busted an inter-state narcotics and illegal arms syndicate with links across Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, arresting 10 people, including alleged leaders of the Gataru gang, officials said on Friday.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted by the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Samba, was investigating the network in connection with the recovery of heroin and a pistol during a routine checking operation at AIIMS Naka in Vijaypur on August 22.
During the operation, police intercepted a Swift car travelling from Samba towards Vijaypur and recovered around 9.08 grams of a heroin-like substance and a pistol from its driver, identified as Sourab Baloria, a resident of Vijaypur.
A case, FIR No. 146/2026, was registered at Vijaypur police station under relevant provisions of the NDPS Act, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Arms Act. Subsequently, an SIT headed by DSP Headquarters, Samba, was constituted to investigate the case.
During sustained investigation, Baloria allegedly disclosed his association with the Gataru gang, headed by brothers Sourav Gupta and Gaurav Gupta, both residents of Vijaypur.
Police said the investigation revealed that Baloria was allegedly functioning as a logistical facilitator for the gang’s activities in the Vijaypur and Samba areas.
The probe also established the alleged involvement of Vivek Kumar, a Bihar native presently residing in Vijaypur and working at Ravi Fast Food. According to police, the establishment was allegedly being used to provide temporary shelter to gang associates and facilitate certain financial transactions.
Investigators also identified the alleged involvement of Punjab-based associates, including Manmohit Singh, Sahib Singh, Vikram Bhardwaj alias Vicky Star and Jagdeep Kaur, all residents of Gopal Nagar in Ajnala, Amritsar district.
The four allegedly facilitated the procurement, transportation and supply of narcotics and illegal weapons besides providing logistical and financial assistance to members of the network, officials said.
During further investigation, police recovered two country-made pistols, five live 9 mm cartridges and 8.37 grams of a heroin-like substance from Vivek Kumar following his disclosure.
The financial investigation also brought to light transactions exceeding Rs 1 crore between the alleged gang leaders and other members of the network, officials said.
In a major inter-state operation, Samba Police, with assistance from Uttar Pradesh Police, traced and arrested alleged gang leaders Sourav Gupta and Gaurav Gupta, along with their associate Rohit Baloria, from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh.
The investigation further revealed that the accused were allegedly taking shelter at the residence of Mohd Maaz, a resident of Meerut, during their period of evasion. He allegedly provided them accommodation and logistical support, following which relevant provisions of the BNS were invoked in the case.
Acting on disclosures made by the arrested accused, police subsequently recovered two pistols, 12 live rounds of 9 mm ammunition, one country-made weapon, 23 grams of gunpowder, 113 pellets, four pellet caps and approximately 10.21 grams of heroin from an area behind AIIMS Vijaypur near the Devak river.
With these recoveries, the total seizure in the case includes five pistols, one country-made weapon, 27.66 grams of heroin, 17 rounds of 9 mm ammunition, 23 grams of gunpowder, 113 pellets and four pellet caps.
Further investigation has also revealed leads regarding the alleged procurement of weapons through intermediaries linked to the Punjab-Haryana-based Ghanashyampuria gang.
Police said the investigation was being conducted on multiple fronts to identify all individuals involved in the network and dismantle its operational, logistical and financial infrastructure.
The total number of arrests in the case has reached 10, including alleged gang leaders and their associates across Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, officials said.
