Guwahati: NGO Employees Detained for Drug Peddling, Nitrazepam Tablets Seized

The Guwahati Police has arrested a married couple for dealing with drugs and contraband near the city's Adabari locality, reports said on Friday.

According to reports, on May 9, 2024, on the basis of intelligence input, a couple dealing with drugs and contraband identified as Hiteswar Kalita and Mamoni Kalita were detained near Adabari in Guwahati at around 11:30 am.

The duo were nabbed during an operation conducted by a police team led by Jalukbari Out Post In-Charge. Reportedly, four Nitrazepam tablets were recovered from the duo's possession.

During a house search, another 137 such tablets were recovered, reports added.

It is to be mentioned that the accused Hiteswar Kalita is the son of Retd Hav Ratneswar Kalita of the Government Railway Police (GRP) who retired in February 2023 and is still occupying the Government quarter. The contraband was reportedly recovered from the quarter.

Hiteswar Kalita is a drug user and is employed by the NGO ‘Global Organization for Life Development’ (GOLD) as a Peer Educator. However, he along with his wife, is secretly engaged in drug peddling too as he is well acquainted with the drug user community due to his association with the NGO. Moreover, both the accused are undergoing Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) at GMCH.

On further interrogation of the detained couple, another drug peddler namely Amarendra Kalita, a resident of House No. G-32, Pragjyotish Housing Complex in Ghoramara was detained and 1093 tablets (SPS-PHEN and Nitrazepam) were recovered from his possession.

The interrogation revealed so far that the detained persons have a connection with someone from Cooch Behar in West Bengal from which they receive the contraband consignment via Pharmacies and other means.

A case under Jalukbari PS Case No 232/24 u/s 22(a)/29 NDPS Act has been registered and further interrogation is underway to unearth the linkages.

Also Read: STF Raid Nets 3 Drug Peddlers with Suspected Heroin and Nitrazepam Tablets