The Delhi Police on Wednesday seized more than 560 Kg of cocaine worth nearly Rs 2000 crore, in one of the biggest drug bust in the national capital. The police said that the drugs were found in South Delhi and four people have been arrested in the case.

The officials suspect that this is an international drug syndicate that was being run by Afghan nationals in New Delhi. This follows days after two other Afghan nationals were arrested for allegedly running a syndicate. They were caught during a raid on Saturday in Tilak Nagar. The police recovered 400 grams of heroin and 160 grams of cocaine from the possession of the two accused namely Hashimi Mohammad Waris and Abdul Nayib.

Hashimi Mohammad Waris has been living in India on refugee status since January 2020. His family is in Afghanistan. After arriving in India, Waris worked in a chemist shop as a helper in Vikaspuri. Later, he entered into the drugs business when his friend contacted him and asked him to collect the consignments from different people in Delhi and NCR. The police said that he would further deliver them to the receivers, and used to get $100 for each delivery.

Police officials stated that Abdul Nayib is also an Afghan national and he came to India in January 2020 along with his father. He is a registered refugee, and his whole family except his father lives in Afghanistan. Abdul Nayib met Hashimi Mohammad Waris in a chemist’s shop in Vikaspuri. Police asserted that Waris lured Nayib into the drug business on the pretext of a lavish lifestyle.

Earlier in this year, the special cell of Delhi Police caught four men who were carrying drugs from violence-hit areas Manipur and four other states to Delhi and selling them to clubs in south Delhi. Police stated that the accused used Kia Seltos and Mahindra Thar as their means to smuggle fine quality opium and heroin which is worth crores. 

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and 150 other protestors from Ladakh who are under detention on Wednesday continued their indefinite fast, saying they find their rights trampled upon on Gandhi Jayanti, a day that symbolizes peace and democracy.

The climate activist was leading ‘Delhi Chalo Padyatra’, which began from Leh a month ago. They were detained on Monday night.

Jigmat Paljor, Coordinator Apex Body, said their detention, which is continuing for over 24 hours, is illegal.

“We, the ‘padyatris’, find ourselves in an alarming situation. We have been detained for over 24 hours. This detention is illegal, as the 24-hour period has elapsed, and we must be produced before a magistrate,” Paljor said in a statement released on Wednesday morning.

He added that some groups have been released after just under 24 hours, only to be returned to the police station. “Last night, the police attempted to forcibly relocate us to an unknown location, but we stood our ground in resistance,” he said.

He further said that their phones were confiscated at the Bawana Police Station, leaving them cut off from the outside world. Delhi Police, however, said that the ‘padyatris’ were released last night and detained again.

A senior police officer told PTI that Wangchuk and other detained Ladakhis were allowed to go on Tuesday night but they were adamant to march towards the central part of Delhi, therefore, they were detained again.

The “padyatris” started their journey from Leh on September 1 and marched all the way, except when they entered poll-bound Haryana, where they boarded buses. They were detained at Delhi’s Singhu border on Monday night and taken to different police stations, where they began an indefinite fast.

“All the ‘padyatris’ have been on ‘anshan’ for 36 hours. Today, October 2nd, on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, we had planned to visit Gandhi Samadhi to pay our respects. Instead, we find our rights trampled upon on a day that symbolizes peace and democracy,” Paljor said.

“This situation raises serious concerns about the state of our democracy. We call upon everyone to stand in solidarity with us during this critical time,” he added.

The march was organised by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), which have been leading an agitation for the past four years to demand statehood for Ladakh, its inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, an early recruitment process, the establishment of a Public Service Commission for Ladakh, and separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil districts.

Wangchuk has been held at the Bawana police station along with a few others, while others have been detained at Narela Industrial Area, Alipur, and Kanjhawala police stations, he added.

The Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday advised Indian citizens against travelling to Iran, as the Middle East situation appeared to be on the brink of a wider war following Iran’s missile attack on Israel on Tuesday. The officials also advised Indians in Iran to remain vigilant and stay in touch with the embassy in Tehran. 

Issuing an advisory, the External Affairs Ministry stated that they are closely monitoring the recent escalation in security situation in the region. It added that the Indian nationals are advised to avoid all non-essential travel to Iran. It mentioned that nationals currently residing in Iran are requested to remain vigilant and stay in contact with the Indian Embassy in Tehran.

Reportedly, Iran launched over 180 missiles into Israel late on Tuesday, signifying an escalation in the conflict between two countries. Though Israel claims to have intercepted and destroyed many of the missiles, Tel Aviv and US officials have warned Tehran of severe consequences, raising the threat of a region-wide war in the Middle East.

Considering the situation, the Indian Embassy in Tel Aviv also issued an advisory for Indian nationals in Israel on Tuesday. The officials asked Indian nationals to stay vigilant and adhere to the protocols as advised by the local authorities.

The advisory asked Indians to exercise caution and avoid unnecessary travel within the country and stay close to the safety shelters. It added that the Embassy is closely monitoring the situation and remains in regular touch with the Israeli authorities to ensure the safety of Indian nationals.

Meanwhile, Air India also stated that it is adjusting flights routes to avoid areas of risk with minimal impact on non-stop operations. The airline said that all their flights are assessed daily for any potential security or safety risks whether it is in the Middle East or any other part of our route network. Furthermore, it said that adjustments are made, if necessary, to avoid areas of risk with minimal impact on our non-stop operations.