In a major success, the Ludhiana Rural police have nabbed four women while they were smuggling 40 kg of poppy husk. The police have also arrested a male accomplice of these women from whom they have recovered one pistol and three live cartridges.

Giving the details, Balbir Singh, SHO, Sidhwan Bet, informed, “These four women namely Gurmail Kaur, Mohinder Kaur, Amar Kaur and Angrez Kaur hail from Sherpur Kalan village near Sangrur. We nabbed them during a raid near the grain market in Swwaddi Kalan. Along with these women we also arrested the driver, Avatar Singh.”

The SHO added, “We are still investigating where this gang was headed for. Preliminary investigations however have revealed that these women and their male accomplice were habitual criminals for they have nearly 31 different cases registered against them under NDPS act besides their involvement in petty crimes. “ The SHO said that the while the women had about 26 cases pending against them.”

Did police ignore rules
While the Ludhiana rural police pat its back for the breakthrough, the moot point is whether the police observed the rules laid down by the law for arresting women while making the arrests. The police party did not have a female constable in their police party, which is mandatory. Further the women arrested were kept in the police station overnight and even searched by male policemen who, as per the SHO, searched only the bags carried by the women and that no physical checking was done. A lady constable accompanied the women only after they were presented before the local court on Thursday morning which sent them in judicial remand. The medical of the arrested women was also done on Thursday morning.