Jammu, September 10: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), in coordination with the Jammu and Kashmir Police and Punjab Police, has re-arrested a drug trafficking accused who allegedly fled from NCB custody in Jammu, officials said.
The accused, identified as Aqib Bashir, reportedly fled Jammu and travelled towards Jalandhar through the Pathankot route, prompting a coordinated search and tracking operation across Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.
According to officials, after fleeing custody, Bashir allegedly took shelter in a forested area near Narwal Fruit Mandi in Jammu. He later attempted to evade detection by shaving his beard and changing his clothes and appearance.
Following a three-day intensive search operation, a joint team comprising personnel from NCB Jammu, NCB Amritsar, NCB Chandigarh and Punjab Police traced the accused and apprehended him in Jalandhar.
Officials said the accused was allegedly preparing to move towards Delhi or another state when the joint team caught up with him.
Further investigation is underway to establish the circumstances surrounding his escape from custody and to identify individuals who may have allegedly provided him shelter or assisted him in his movement.
The authorities are also examining the entire sequence of events to determine how the accused managed to flee and subsequently travel from Jammu to Punjab.
