An IndiGo Aircraft Maintenance Engineer has been arrested at Leh Airport after the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) allegedly recovered heroin from his possession. The accused, identified as 22-year-old Ajay Thakur from Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, was taken into custody following a routine patrol operation by the task force in Leh.

According to officials, an ANTF team intercepted a vehicle during regular patrolling in the city and recovered 2.27 grams of heroin from Thakur. He is currently employed as an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer with IndiGo at Leh Airport. Following the recovery, authorities registered a case against him under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and further investigation is underway.

Investigators are now examining the source of the recovered narcotics and are looking into possible links with suppliers and local drug networks operating in the region. Officials are also trying to determine whether the accused allegedly acted alone or had any connection with a wider interstate network involved in transporting and distributing illegal substances in Ladakh.

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The arrest comes amid increased action by law enforcement agencies against drug trafficking activities in the Union Territory. Authorities have reported several recent operations targeting narcotics networks allegedly attempting to expand their activities among young people in Ladakh. Since the beginning of 2026, agencies across the region have registered 33 NDPS cases and arrested 27 individuals in connection with drug-related offences.

Official figures show that enforcement agencies have seized various narcotic substances during these operations, including 3.523 kilograms of charas, 4.9 kilograms of ganja, 40.39 grams of heroin, 1.709 kilograms of brown sugar, and 289 milligrams of cocaine. Among different areas, Leh recorded the highest number of cases, with 13 NDPS cases and 17 arrests, followed by other districts including Kargil, Changthang, Nubra, Zanskar, and Drass.

Ladakh Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has directed security agencies to strengthen intelligence-based operations against drug trafficking and take strict action against individuals involved in illegal narcotics activities. Authorities have also appealed to families, educational institutions, religious groups, and civil society organisations to support efforts aimed at preventing drug abuse among vulnerable sections of the youth.

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