It was a severe blow to the growing culture of synthetic drugs in Bhopal when two men were arrested on July 18 by the Crime Branch with 15.14 grams of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MD) powder, commonly referred to as a ‘party drug’. The contraband, along with a grey scooter and a mobile phone, is valued at around ₹3 lakh. The operation is part of the Madhya Pradesh Police’s ongoing anti-drug campaign titled ‘Nashe Se Doori, Hai Zaroori’, which aims to combine strict enforcement with rehabilitation.
Arrest Near Govindpura Market
Acting on a tip-off, a team from the Crime Branch apprehended the suspects near the Tin Shed vegetable market in Govindpura. The arrested, Saifuddin (28) of Bhawipura and previous wanted person in another case for a reward amount of Rs 5,000, and Ashu alias Shahrukh (28) of Aishbag were stopped while loitering on a grey scooter (MP04 ZS 3785). In search, two white powder sachets were recovered from their possession. The material was identified as MD powder, and the pair were taken into custody under Section 8/22 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Women Addicted, Used to Carry Drugs
It is the approach taken by the accused to increase their client base that makes the case repellent. The gang went after young women, particularly gym enthusiasts, and approached them with MD as a weight-reducing agent, says Additional DCP Shailendra Singh Chouhan. After being hooked, he says, the women were induced to become drug couriers, facilitating the peddlers’ delivery of their wares to customers without compromising their anonymity.
Police confirmed that the apprehended individuals have confessed to providing drugs during late-night club parties, gyms, and even sham job recruitment parties. These parties were turned into hunting grounds in which young women were initially drugged and exploited subsequently.
The accused have admitted to using a number of young women, making them part-time peddlers due to the influence of addiction. “It was easier to evade police checks with women, and deliveries were smoother,” a police official said in preliminary questioning.
Crackdown on Clubs, Lounges, and Clinics
The accused identified more than half a dozen gyms and lounges in the city where drug use was rampant. The Crime Branch is now questioning these establishments and has issued notices to owners and managers of stern action, including revocation of licences, if collusion is established.
Even some ostensibly wellness and weight-reduction clinics come under the spotlight. These centers are suspected of diverting patients towards artificial stimulants in the name of fitness and mental treatments.
What is MD Powder?
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MD), commonly known as MDMA or “Ecstasy”, is a highly potent synthetic psychoactive drug with stimulant and hallucinogenic properties. It is used at parties and nightclubs and can have very dangerous health effects such as addiction, neuroligical impairment, and even death in case of an overdose. Its sale, purchase, and consumption are prohibited under India’s NDPS Act.
Rehabilitation Alongside Raids
The Bhopal Police have identified over a dozen drug users as a result of the investigation. A number of them, both men and women, have been dispatched to rehabilitation centers for treatment. Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch), Amar Singh, highlighted the even-handed approach of the “Nashe Se Doori, Hai Zaroori” campaign to save lives even while acting against the trafficking networks.
Growing Network and Easy Profits
The arrested duo admitted to making lakhs of rupees in a short period through drug peddling, most of which they spent on luxuries and hedonistic lifestyles. The Crime Branch suspects that a well-connected local network is facilitating the trafficking of synthetic drugs, especially MD, among urban youth.
The police are currently trying to identify other members of the chain, such as suppliers, transporters, club owners, and even local pharmacists, who could be part of the increasing web of narcotics.
Bangladeshi Transgender Booked
A Bangladeshi illegal migrant staying in Bhopal by impersonating himself as a transgender individual has been arrested by the police. The man, named Abdul Kalam, had been staying at the Budhwara area using the fake name “Neha Kinnar” for many years. Officials disclosed that he used to create false Indian documents, such as an Aadhaar card and a passport, to hide his actual nationality.
Police authorities informed that Kalam was arrested a couple of days back based on intelligence inputs. He is lodged in high security at Talaiya police station and is being interrogated about his activities in the city for the last few years.
Investigations are being conducted to ascertain if Kalam had any suspicious connections or was involved in illegal activities. His cell phone records, call details, social network accounts, and chat records are being analyzed to look for potential cross-border connections.
Reports state that Abdul Kalam came to India at the age of 17 and lived in Maharashtra initially before moving to Bhopal’s Mangalwara and Budhwara areas. A case was also confirmed by the police to have been registered against him in 2019 in the MP Nagar police station.
Further investigation is underway to find out who assisted him in forging documents and sheltered him during his stay. The police have stated that an FIR will be registered in regard to the forged documents.
It has also emerged that Kalam managed to travel to Bangladesh and return to India during his stay in Bhopal, despite being an illegal immigrant. This has prompted investigations into how he obtained an Indian passport while being a Bangladeshi national. Central agencies are also involved in the ongoing probe.
The authorities are also probing whether Kalam has any connections with sleeper cell networks. His journey to India, allegedly from Bangladesh to Mumbai and eventually Bhopal, is under investigation. Officials have initiated a hunt to find other Bangladeshi nationals who may be illegally living in Bhopal with such strategies.
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