Drug addict trespasses into J&K CM residence minutes after police release

The youth was a drug addict who had been involved in thefts in Kakryal as well, and around three to four FIRs stand registered against him .

Barely within half an hour after being freed by a local police post in a drug abuse case, a 21-year-old drug addict, who feared the wrath of his father, allegedly trespassed into the official residence of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on high-security Wazarat Road here on Friday.

However, the Chief Minister was away in New Delhi to meet Home Minister Amit Shah to seek restoration of statehood, finalisation of business rules relating to the transaction of business between the elected government and the LG, besides discussing other key issues confronting Jammu and Kashmir.

Youth fled after being handed over to father

“The accused drug addict was bailed out at local level by us in NDPS case under Section 8/27 on Friday around 4.15 pm. We had called his father to the police post. However, the youth was reluctant to go back with his father,” said a police officer.

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The youth was identified as Tilak Raj, 21, a native of Kakryal in Katra.

“After we handed over the custody to his father, the youth fled towards a bushy area and then scaled the wall of CM’s residence at Wazarat Road, which is at a short distance from the police post,” said the officer.

The youth was a drug addict who had been involved in thefts in Kakryal as well, and around three to four FIRs stand registered against him at Kakryal, informed the officer.

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Though nothing incriminating was found in his possession, he was completely intoxicated when we caught him and brought him to the police post, he recalled.

The youth was a drug addict and harboured no malicious intentions, he added.

Incident raises security concerns

However, the incident has assumed significance as National Conference leaders have repeatedly raised concerns over laxity by security agencies in providing security cover to the CM and his father, Dr Farooq Abdullah.

The incident of an abortive assassination bid on Farooq Abdullah that took place on March 11 at Royal Park in Greater Kailash in Jammu still remains fresh in the minds of the people.

When Farooq Abdullah was leaving the venue around 10.10 pm that night, accused Kamal Singh Jamwal, 63, a resident of Purani Mandi, allegedly took out his licensed weapon and attempted to open fire. Security personnel accompanying Abdullah had foiled the attempt. The case remains sub judice before a Jammu court.

It may be stated here that National Conference leaders, including CM Omar Abdullah, have often raised the issue of lax security arrangements since J&K was downgraded into a UT from a state in August 2019. Law and order is being handled by LG Manoj Sinha.

A principal correspondent, Ravi Krishnan Khajuria is the bureau chief at Jammu. With nearly 25 years of experience with Hindustan Times, The Tribune and Kashmir Times, he covers politics, defence, crime, terrorism, Indo-Pak border skirmishes, legislative assembly proceedings, health and civic and environmental issues for Jammu region. He also reports geo-political developments from strategic Ladakh region.Read More