MANSEHRA: The Upper Kohistan police have destroyed cannabis grown in Kandia tehsil, a highly conservative and far-off area of the district.

“We have destroyed cannabis cultivated in remote parts of the tehsil, and arrested many growers,” district police officer Arif Javed told reporters on Saturday.

He said the operation was started on the directives of Hazara division police chief Qazi Jamilur Rehman.

He said the villages where contraband was grown were situated at the boundary with Swat district.

Mr Javed said Karan police destroyed the contraband grown in Madan Gubar, Simi Dara, Sari Dara, Rechao, Gujri Baigh, Bagro Dara, Gidarm, Bagro, Batri Dara, Karang, Syal Dara, KangulKot and adjoining localities.

The DPO said cannabis growers had been booked under section 45 of the Control of Narcotics Substance Act, 1997.

Meanwhile, ulema lauded the Upper Kohistan police for destroying the cannabis, which according to them, was a big cause behind use of narcotics among youngsters in the district.

Also in the day, additional assistant commissioner Sundus Arshad, Mansehra, paid surprise visits to basic health units in Attarshisha and Sandysar and checked the presence of staff and medicines stock.

She also directed the staff to adopt SOPs in order to protect themselves and patients from coronavirus.

GIRL KILLED: A young girl fell prey to a bullet allegedly fired by her brother while taking a selfie with a pistol in his hands in Talian Di Kasi area of Mansehra on Saturday.

The victim aged 17, and her brother, 15, who mistakenly pushed the trigger not knowing that that the pistol was loaded.

The bullet, according to the family, hit the girl, leaving her seriously injured.

The family rushed her to a nearby hospital where doctors pronounced her dead.

The police after lodging FIR launched investigation into the incident.

Meanwhile, Mansehra district police officer Sadiq Baloch has directed SHOs of all the 14 police stations to arrest the outlaws wanted in heinous crimes.

“I want all proclaimed offenders wanted by the police arrested as early as possible,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2020