Illegal opium cultivation case: Accused escapes after Police firing in Sundargarh’s Koida

One of the two accused in an opium cultivation case in the Koida area of Sundargarh district has reportedly escaped from police custody, triggering a manhunt. The incident occurred when police had taken the accused to the Koida Community Health Centre (CHC) for medical examination.

According to sources, police attempted to apprehend the accused, identified as Balaram Rahangia, a native of the Jharkhand region. During the escape attempt, police reportedly fired at his leg. Despite sustaining an injury, the accused managed to flee from the spot and evade arrest.

Police officials said they currently have no confirmed information about the whereabouts of the absconding accused. Efforts are underway to track him down, and search operations have been intensified in the surrounding areas.

Background of the Case

The case pertains to the detection of illegal opium poppy cultivation spread across nearly nine acres of forest land near Pundupokhari village, under the jurisdiction of Koida police station.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs, joint teams of the Excise Department and local police conducted an operation at the site and destroyed the standing crop. Officials estimated the value of the uprooted opium poppy cultivation to be over Rs 30 lakh.

During the operation, two persons were detained and later taken to Koida CHC for medical examination. It was during this process that one of the accused, Balaram Rahangia, allegedly escaped through a sudden manoeuvre.

Police have launched an extensive search to trace the absconding accused and said further investigation into the case is underway.