Odisha: Home Guard Among 3 Arrested For Ganja Smuggling In Kandhamal

Kandhamal: The Baliguda Police on Wednesday arrested and court forwarded three persons including a home guard for reportedly smuggling ganja in Kandhamal district.

The home guard has been identified as Khirod Kumar Sahoo of Salepur area in Cuttack district while the other two are- Purnachandra Mallik of Balisuga village and Sashi Mallik of Madinata under Baliguda block of the district.

Yesterday, the three persons were travelling in a car in Baliguda with the ganja consignment when they were intercepted by the local police posted on patrolling duty.

Subsequently, police searched the vehicle and recovered 40.7 kilograms of cannabis from their possession. Police also seized the car and arrested the trio.

Earlier on Monday, Malkangiri police seized 14.11 quintal of dry cannabis and arrested the eight persons including a home guard of MV 79 police station and a woman.

The seized contraband was being transported in a truck to Bihar via Malkangiri district. The expected market value of the ganja was estimated to be over Rs 1 crore.

On January 31, the Excise Department officials seized around 20 quintals of ganja in Berhampur in Ganjam district.

Similarly, in another incident in Koraput on January 30, 15.77 quintal ganja worth Rs 75 lakh was seized by Semiliguda Police while it was being transported in a tanker trunk.

(Edited By Rashmi Ranjan Mohanty)