Samba, Nov 13 (KNO): In a major crackdown on organised crime, Samba Police have busted an inter-state narcotics and illegal arms syndicate operating across Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, arresting 10 persons, including the key leaders of the Gataru gang and recovering weapons, ammunition and heroin.
Police said the investigation has substantially dismantled the network, with financial transactions exceeding rupees 1 crore between the gang leaders and other members also coming under scrutiny.
According to a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO),the case dates back to August 22, 2026, when a police party during routine checking at AIIMS Naka, Vijaypur, intercepted a Swift car bearing registration number JK21J-3391, travelling from Samba towards Vijaypur.
During checking, the driver was identified as Sourab Baloria, a resident of Tehsil Vijaypur, Samba. Police said around 9.08 grams of heroin-like substance and a pistol were recovered from his possession.
Accordingly, FIR No. 146/2026 under relevant sections was registered at Police Station Vijaypur and investigation was taken up.
Taking cognisance of the matter, SSP Samba constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by DSP Headquarters Samba, to investigate the case further.
During sustained investigation, Sourab Baloria disclosed his alleged association with the Gataru gang, headed by brothers Sourav Gupta and Gaurav Gupta, both residents of Vijaypur in Samba district.
Police said the investigation revealed that Baloria was allegedly working as an important logistical facilitator for the gang's activities in Vijaypur and other areas of Samba.
Punjab-based associates identified
Further investigation brought to light the alleged role of Vivek Kumar, a resident of Hanumannagar, Sitamarhi, Bihar, presently residing in Vijaypur and working at Ravi Fast Food.
Police said that, based on material collected during the investigation, including technical evidence, 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 the alleged involvement of four Punjab-based associates, namely Manmohit Singh, Sahib Singh, Vikram Bhardwaj alias Vicky Star and Jagdeep Kaur, all residents of Gopal Nagar, Ajnala, Amritsar.
Police said the associates 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 made another recovery from accused Vivek Kumar, including two country-made pistols, five live 9 mm cartridges and 8.37 grams of heroin-like substance.
The financial investigation also exposed systematic movement of money, with transactions exceeding rupees 1 crore between the gang leaders and other members, police said.
Gataru gang leaders arrested in UP
Following sustained technical analysis and human intelligence inputs, Samba Police, with the assistance of Uttar Pradesh Police, traced and arrested the two alleged gang leaders, Sourav Gupta and Gaurav Gupta, both sons of Om Parkash Gupta and residents of Vijaypur, Samba. Their associate Rohit Baloria, son of Gopal Krishan Baloria, also a resident of Vijaypur, was arrested along with them from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh.
The investigation further revealed that during their period of evasion, the accused were allegedly taking shelter at the residence of Mohd Maaz, son of Mohd Zakir, a resident of Saigang, Tehsil Sadar Bazar, Meerut district, Uttar Pradesh.
Police said Maaz allegedly facilitated their stay and provided logistical support to the gang. Relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) were also invoked in connection with the alleged harbouring of the accused.
Following the arrests and on the disclosure of the accused, a police party recovered two pistols, 12 live rounds of 9 mm calibre, one country-made weapon, 23 grams of gunpowder, 113 pellets, four pellet caps and around 10.21 grams of heroin from a spot behind AIIMS Vijaypur.
Further investigation has revealed leads regarding the alleged procurement of weapons through intermediaries connected with the Punjab-Haryana-based Ghanashyampuria gang. Police said the investigation is being pursued on multiple fronts to identify every individual involved in the alleged criminal network and dismantle its operational and financial infrastructure.
The case has been registered under Sections 8/21/22/25/27-A/29 of the NDPS Act, Sections 61/249 of the BNS and Sections 3/25 of the Arms Act at Police Station Vijaypur.
Police said the overall recoveries in the case include 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—(KNO)