Reasi woman held with 58g ganja; third NDPS case in 2025
Synopsis
A woman with two prior NDPS cases was caught with 58 grams of ganja in Reasi — her third drug arrest in under five months. The case spotlights a key gap in J&K's high-profile 'Nasha Mukt Abhiyaan': repeat offenders keep surfacing even as the LG leads district marches and threatens passport and property seizures.
Key Takeaways
Reasi police arrested Sanjana , a resident of Amritsar , at Varun Chowk, Katra on 19 May 2025 .
58 grams of ganja were recovered from her possession during routine checking.
This is her third NDPS case in 2025 — prior cases registered in January and April 2025 .
A case under Section 8/20 of the NDPS Act has been registered at Katra Police Station.
Baramulla police also destroyed illegal poppy cultivation the same day under the 'Nasha Mukt Jammu and Kashmir Abhiyaan' .
LG Manoj Sinha launched the 100-day anti-drug campaign on 6 April 2025 , with penalties including passport cancellation and property attachment.
Reasi police arrested a woman on 19 May 2025 after recovering 58 grams of ganja from her possession at Varun Chowk near Katra, marking the third Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act case registered against her this year. The arrest is part of the ongoing 'Nasha Mukt Jammu and Kashmir Abhiyaan', a 100-day anti-drug campaign sweeping the Union Territory.
How the Arrest Unfolded
A team from Katra Police Station intercepted the woman during routine checking at Varun Chowk on 19 May. A search of her person yielded 58 grams of ganja, leading to her immediate detention. The accused has been identified as Sanjana, a native of Amritsar currently residing at Saraswati Chowk, Reasi.
A Repeat Offender Under NDPS
According to police, Sanjana already had two prior NDPS cases against her — one registered in January 2025 and another in April 2025. The latest recovery has resulted in a third case under Section 8/20 of the NDPS Act at Katra Police Station. Further investigation is underway, officials said. This is a notable pattern: repeat offenders cycling through the system underline the challenge of enforcement without parallel rehabilitation infrastructure.
Broader Campaign: Poppy Destruction in Baramulla
In a separate operation on the same day, police in Baramulla district destroyed illegal poppy cultivation as part of the same 'Nasha Mukt Jammu and Kashmir Abhiyaan'. Anti-drug operations have been conducted aggressively across the Union Territory throughout the campaign, which was launched on 6 April 2025 by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
What the LG Has Directed
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has described the campaign as a 'war against narco-terrorism' and has been personally visiting districts to lead anti-drug marches. Among the punitive measures announced at the campaign's launch are cancellation of passport, Aadhaar card, and driving licence, as well as attachment of property acquired through drug-trade proceeds — signalling a shift toward economic deterrence alongside criminal prosecution.
Public Appeal and What Comes Next
Reasi Police has urged citizens to share information about drug peddling and substance abuse to support the drive toward a drug-free society. With the 100-day campaign still ongoing, enforcement activity is expected to intensify across both the Jammu and Kashmir divisions before the campaign concludes.
Point of View
Property attachment) are the campaign's most novel element, but their application to small-quantity carriers like Sanjana versus organised traffickers will determine whether the campaign disrupts supply chains or merely pads arrest statistics. Baramulla's poppy destruction on the same day signals geographic breadth, but ground-level recidivism in Reasi suggests the demand side remains largely unaddressed.
NationPress
5 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was arrested in the Reasi drug case on 19 May 2025?
The arrested person is Sanjana , a native of Amritsar currently residing at Saraswati Chowk in Reasi. She was intercepted by a team from Katra Police Station at Varun Chowk during routine checking.
What is the 'Nasha Mukt Jammu and Kashmir Abhiyaan'?
It is a 100-day anti-drug campaign launched on 6 April 2025 by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha aimed at eradicating drug trafficking and addiction across Jammu and Kashmir. The campaign includes aggressive police operations, destruction of illegal cultivation, and punitive measures such as passport cancellation and property attachment against offenders.
How many NDPS cases does the accused have?
Sanjana now has three NDPS cases registered against her in 2025 — the first in January, the second in April, and the third following the 19 May recovery of 58 grams of ganja. All cases are under Section 8/20 of the NDPS Act.
What punitive actions can be taken against drug offenders under the J&K campaign?
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announced at the campaign's launch that penalties include cancellation of passport, Aadhaar card, and driving licence, as well as attachment of property acquired through drug-trade proceeds, in addition to standard criminal prosecution under the NDPS Act.
What happened in Baramulla as part of the same campaign?
On the same day as the Reasi arrest, Baramulla police destroyed illegal poppy cultivation as part of the ongoing 'Nasha Mukt Jammu and Kashmir Abhiyaan', reflecting the campaign's reach across both divisions of the Union Territory.
