Jharsuguda: The police force in Jharsuguda has successfully confiscated 119.860 kg of ganja, a substantial amount indicative of commercial smuggling, during a night patrol operation, marking a significant disruption to local narcotics trafficking.
This seizure occurred in the early hours of July 8, as a team from the Rengali Police Station was engaged in patrols as part of the Nasha Mukt Odisha Abhiyan initiative. The operation took place near the Govindpur Toll Gate, where officers noticed a vehicle behaving suspiciously and moving at high speed.
According to police reports, a team led by Sub-Inspector Puspa Khamari was conducting the patrol when they observed a white Maruti Ertiga traveling from Lakhanpur towards Kanaktora around 3:50 am. When the police signaled for the vehicle to stop, the driver reportedly sped up and attempted to escape.
The officers pursued the vehicle until it reached the Katarbaga RI Office area. However, the driver abandoned the car on Darridhipa Road and fled into a nearby forest, using the cover of darkness to evade capture.
A subsequent search, carried out in the presence of an Executive Magistrate and independent witnesses, yielded three plastic bags containing the 119.860 kg of ganja within the abandoned vehicle. Additionally, two extra registration plates were found, suggesting an effort to hide the vehicle’s identity.
As part of the investigation, the police have confiscated the ganja, the Maruti Ertiga, and the extra number plates.
A case has been filed at the Rengali Police Station under Case No. 184, dated July 8, 2026, in accordance with Section 20(b)(ii)(C) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
The police are actively pursuing leads to identify and apprehend the driver who fled, as well as to uncover the interstate network believed to be involved in the illicit drug transport.
Jharsuguda Police emphasized their commitment to intensifying actions against drug trafficking under the Nasha Mukt Odisha Abhiyan and encouraged the public to provide information regarding narcotics-related activities to assist in the fight against the illegal drug trade.
