Raigarh, March 23 Police have uncovered illegal opium cultivation in a village in Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh, the fifth such instance in the past 18 days, officials said on Monday.
Two individuals have been arrested in connection with illegal opium cultivation in Navin Ghatgaon village, under the Lailunga police station limits, after the administration discovered it through drone surveillance, they added.
Opium was being cultivated in a field belonging to a farmer identified as Sadhram Nagvanshi, a police official said.
"Information was also received about dried opium being stored at the residence of another villager, Abhimanyu Nagvanshi. When authorities reached the location, the accused were attempting to destroy the evidence. The attempt was thwarted, and the contraband was seized," he added.
Both have been arrested, and further investigation is underway to uncover the entire racket, he said.
Police are also questioning Tansingh Nagvanshi in Mudagaon village in the Lailunga area after receiving information about suspected opium cultivation being carried out by him, he added.
"Remnants of plants, including leaves and stems, recovered from his house have been sent for forensic examination. Further legal action will be taken based on the report," the official said.
Earlier on March 20, illegal cultivation of opium on approximately one acre of land was uncovered in Amaghat village in the Tamnar area of Raigarh district. Police seized opium worth Rs 2.05 crore and arrested Marshal Sanga (40), a resident of neighbouring Jharkhand, in the case.
On March 6, the first such case came to light in the state when police uncovered illegal opium cultivation on approximately 5.62 acres of land at a farmhouse in Samoda village in Durg district. Local BJP leader Vinayak Tamrakar, Vikas Vishnoi and Manish Thakur were arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Authorities seized opium plants weighing 62,424.4 kg, estimated to be worth around Rs 8 crore, from the farm. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party later suspended Tamrakar.
In another case, police detected illegal opium cultivation on about 3.67 acres of land in Tripuri Ghosradand village in Balrampur-Ramanujganj district on March 10. Seven persons were arrested. Opium plants weighing 4,344.569 kg, estimated to be worth around Rs 4.75 crore, were seized in the case.
On March 12, a team of the revenue, police and forest departments busted illegal opium cultivation on about 1.47 acres of land in Turreepani (Khajuri) village under the Korandha police station limits in Balrampur-Ramanujganj district. Approximately 18 quintals and 83 kg of opium plants, valued at approximately Rs 2 crore, were seized. Two persons were arrested.
