NASHIK, July 7: Two retired Army jawans were arrested for drug trafficking by the Manmad railway police on Friday. They have been remanded to police custody for a fortnight.

According to railway police, the two jawans, Ghulam Mohammed Ghulam Hasan, 39, and Ghulam Hasan Gul Hasan Khan, 54, were allegedly carrying 44 kilos of Charas worth Rs 18 lakhs in two bags, in the military compartment of the Jammu Tavi-Pune Jhelum Express. At Chalisgaon, a travelling ticket examiner asked them to pay luggage fees, but they refused to do so. When the train reached Manmad, the examiner took them to the ticket collectors office, where the unusually heavy bags were opened, and charas found.

Two more persons, accompanying the jawans are absconding, according to police. The accused hail from Anantnag in Kashmir and have reportedly confessed they used to transport Charas to Mumbai for a commission of Rs 600 per kilo.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.