SRINAGAR: Police in Samba district have claimed to have dismantled a major inter-state narcotics and illegal arms syndicate, arresting 10 persons, including alleged leaders of the Gataru gang, in coordinated operations across Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.
The police said five pistols, one country-made weapon, 27.66 grams of heroin, 17 rounds of 9mm ammunition, 23 grams of gunpowder, 113 pellets and four pellet caps were recovered during the investigation.
The operation was carried out by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Senior Superintendent of Police, Samba, following the registration of FIR No. 146/2026 at Police Station Vijaypur on August 22, 2026.
According to a police statement issued on November 13, the case originated when a police party, during routine checking at AIIMS Naka in Vijaypur, intercepted a Swift car bearing registration number JK21J-3391 travelling from Samba towards Vijaypur.
The driver was identified as Sourab Baloria, a resident of Vijaypur. During the search, police allegedly recovered approximately 9.08 grams of a heroin-like substance and a pistol from his possession.
A case was subsequently registered under Sections 8, 21, 22, 25, 27-A and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, Sections 61 and 249 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and Section 3/25 of the Arms Act.
Taking cognisance of the case, the SSP Samba constituted an SIT headed by the Deputy Superintendent of Police (Headquarters), Samba, to investigate the alleged network and its wider criminal connections.
During sustained investigation, Baloria allegedly disclosed his association with the Gataru gang, which police said was headed by brothers Sourav Gupta and Gaurav Gupta, both residents of Vijaypur.
Investigators identified Baloria as an alleged logistical facilitator of the gang’s activities in the Vijaypur and Samba areas.
Alleged logistical and financial links
Further investigation brought to light the alleged involvement of Vivek Kumar, a native of Hanumannagar in Sitamarhi district of Bihar, who was residing in Vijaypur and working at Ravi Fast Food.
According to police, technical evidence and other material collected during the investigation indicated that the premises of Ravi Fast Food were allegedly being used to provide temporary shelter to associates of the Gataru gang and facilitate certain financial transactions.
The investigation also identified four alleged Punjab-based associates — Manmohit Singh, Sahib Singh, Vikram Bhardwaj alias Vicky Star and Jagdeep Kaur — all residents of Gopal Nagar, Ajnala, in Amritsar district.
Police said these individuals allegedly facilitated the procurement, movement and supply of narcotics and illegal weapons, besides providing logistical and financial support to members of the network.
During further investigation and technical analysis, police recovered two country-made pistols, five live cartridges of 9mm calibre and 8.37 grams of a heroin-like substance from Vivek Kumar, according to the statement.
The financial investigation also allegedly revealed systematic movement of funds, with transactions exceeding Rs 1 crore between the gang leaders and other members of the network.
Gang leaders arrested in Meerut
Following sustained technical analysis and human intelligence inputs, the SIT, with assistance from Uttar Pradesh Police, traced and arrested alleged gang leaders Sourav Gupta and Gaurav Gupta, both sons of Om Parkash Gupta and residents of Vijaypur.
Their associate Rohit Baloria, son of Gopal Krishan Baloria and also a resident of Vijaypur, was arrested alongside them from Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh.
Police further alleged that during their period of evasion, the accused had taken shelter at the residence of Mohd Maaz, son of Mohd Zakir, a resident of Saigang, Tehsil Sadar Bazar, Meerut.
Maaz allegedly facilitated their stay and provided logistical support to the gang. Police said relevant provisions of the BNS were invoked in connection with the alleged harbouring of the accused.
Major recovery from Devak river area
Following the arrests and disclosures made by the accused, police conducted another recovery operation in the area behind AIIMS Vijaypur, near the Devak river.
The operation led to the recovery of two pistols, 12 live rounds of 9mm ammunition, one country-made weapon, 23 grams of gunpowder, 113 pellets, four pellet caps and approximately 10.21 grams of heroin, allegedly at the instance of Sourav Gupta, Gaurav Gupta and Rohit Baloria.
Police said the investigation had also revealed leads regarding the alleged procurement of weapons through intermediaries connected with the Punjab-Haryana-based Ghanashyampuria gang.
The SIT is continuing its investigation to identify other individuals allegedly involved in the network and establish its wider operational, financial and inter-state connections.
The police said the investigation was being pursued on multiple fronts to dismantle the alleged syndicate’s criminal and financial infrastructure.
