Dharamshala, April 25: Kangra district police have arrested three individuals in connection with the murder of a woman from Jharkhand, while also intensifying a crackdown on drug traffickers by targeting illegal property holdings in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh.
The arrests were made in Palampur, where the accused were found to have built houses on government land. The investigation revealed that several individuals linked to the narcotics trade had encroached on public land and erected unauthorized structures.
According to the Kangra Police, 14 cases of illegal land occupation tied to accused under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act have been identified in the Palampur region. In addition to the arrest of the murder suspects, the police are now working in coordination with the Forest Department and local administration to remove these encroachments.
“Action has been initiated against the encroachment cases on government land by drug smugglers in Palampur area,” said Superintendent of Police Shalini Agnihotri.
As part of the operation, 338 square meters of encroached government land have already been vacated in the Bindravan locality. Officials said further eviction drives are expected as investigations continue.
The operation reflects a broader move by law enforcement to dismantle criminal infrastructure and assert state control over illegally occupied land.
