Ganja crops worth over Rs 10 crore destroyed in Gajapati

Gajapati/Cuttack: A joint team of police and Excise officials destroyed ganja cultivation on 52 acres in Dumangpadar and Panaspadar areas under Adaba police limits in Gajapati district today.

The joint squad set fire to 10.40 lakhs ganja plants worth around Rs 10.40 crore. The district administration has ordered to destroy such illegal ganja cultivation in other areas too.

In a similar incident, a flying squad of Cuttack Excise unit busted illegal Satabari factory at Bartabana under Panikoili police station in Jajpur district and arrested two persons in this connection.

The squad also seized 26.15 quintal cannabis and a pouch packing machine from their possession. The two arrested have been identified as Anurodha Behera and Kartikeswar Nayak.

In another incident, Excise sleuths today arrested a youth of West Bengal from the Jaleswar bus stand here and seized 20 grams brown sugar and a motor-cycle from his possession.

Also Read: 14 acre Ganja cultivation destroyed in Rayagada

Under the direction of Excise Superintendent Manoj Sethi, the team headed by Jaleswar ASI Haraprasad Rana conducted a raid on the bus stand and arrested Sultan Saha of West Bengal.