An aircraft maintenance engineer working for IndiGo has been arrested in Leh after police recovered heroin from his possession. The arrest was made by the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) during a routine patrol in the city.
The accused has been identified as Ajay Thakur, 22, from Mandi district in Himachal Pradesh. Officials said he was employed at Leh Airport. During the operation, the ANTF intercepted a vehicle and recovered 2.27 grams of heroin. A case has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and the investigation is continuing.
The arrest comes as Ladakh authorities step up efforts to curb drug trafficking. Since the beginning of 2026, security agencies have registered 33 NDPS cases, arrested 27 people, and seized several illegal drugs across the Union Territory.
According to official figures, the seizures include 3.523 kg of charas, 4.9 kg of ganja, 40.39 grams of heroin, 1.709 kg of brown sugar, and 289 mg of cocaine.
Authorities have also appealed to parents, schools, religious groups, and community organisations to support awareness efforts and help protect young people from drug abuse.