Kalahandi Excise Officials Seize 162 kg Ganja, Arrest Youth with Minor

Excise officials in Kalahandi seized 162 kg of ganja and arrested a youth with a minor during a raid near Rajamunda on NH-59. Acting on the directives of Kalahandi Excise Superintendent Ranjan Kumar Naik, a team led by Deputy Superintendent Sagarika Pradhan intercepted a white Maruti Suzuki car on National Highway 59 near Rajamunda under M. Rampur block. During the raid, excise inspector Vijay Bhushan Nayak, along with M. Rampur excise officer Ajit Kumar Nayak and staff, seized 162 kilograms of ganja that was being smuggled from Kandhamal district to Balangir. The officials also confiscated two smartphones that were being used in the operation. The vehicle involved in the seizure bore the registration number OR-02-AW-9881, which had previously been registered as CG-04-HA-2811. The car was driven by Bapi Pradhan, a 26‑year‑old resident of the Phiringia police station jurisdiction in Kandhamal, who was accompanied by a minor whose identity has not been disclosed. Both individuals were taken into custody and charged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, with the case registered as number 124/26-27. Excise sources confirmed that the seized contraband was destined for illegal transport to Balangir, highlighting the inter‑district smuggling route that links the cultivation areas of Kandhamal to the distribution networks in Balangir. The raid team comprised several officers: Baleswar Dhangadamajhi, Simanchal Majhi, Binata Kumar, Duleswar Pradhan, Daitari Tandi, Pruthviraj Bag, and Siddhant Pattanayak, all of whom participated in the interception and subsequent seizure. Authorities stated that the operation was carried out following specific instructions from the Excise Superintendent, reflecting a coordinated effort to curb the flow of illicit ganja across state highways. The confiscation of two mobile phones is noted as part of the evidence gathered to substantiate the alleged smuggling conspiracy. The seizure of 162 kilograms represents a significant quantity, underscoring the scale of the illicit drug movement that law‑enforcement agencies are attempting to disrupt in the region. The arrested youth, identified as Bapi Pradhan, is 26 years old and resides within the Phiringia police station area of Kandhamal district. The seizure operation was conducted under the supervision of Deputy Superintendent Sagarika Pradhan, as per the directive of Superintendent Ranjan Kumar Naik.

Related Coverage

• 162 Kg Ganja Seized in Kalahandi, One Arrested with Minor
• Industrial groups eye Karlapat bauxite block in Kalahandi
• Two Kalahandi Men Arrested After 5kg Ganja Seized in Honda, Goa