RAMAGUNDAM, FEBRUARY 20, 2025: The Ramagundam Commissionerate of police have seized a total of 120.27 kilograms of ganja worth Rs 60.13 lakhs, and arrested 15 persons and 13 persons are at large and seized two cars, five bikes, several cellular phones, an electronic weighing machine in Mancherial and Godavarikhani coal belts.
Disclosing this to newsmen at a press conference in Ramagundam on Thursday, Commissioner of Police M Srinivasulu said that the Godavarikhani Two Town police during the vehicle checking at 11A incline mine crossroads have seized 96.770 kgs of ganja and arrested four persons viz Uday (32) from Uttar Pradesh state, Raj Lodhi Sanju (35) from Rajasthan state, Keshav Khara (25) from Odisha state and Somanth Khora (50) from Odisha state. Two others viz Suraj and Arjun Bhori from Chatisgarh state escaped.
The CP said that on credible information about the contraband being smuggled from Chhattisgarh state to Maharashtra state via Manthani, the police seized the ganja in two cars during the vehicle checking.
In another incident in Mancherial, the police arrested 11 persons including a minor for allegedly smuggling banned ganja under the guise of trading CCTV cameras. Police seized 23.5 kilograms of ganja, eleven mobile phones, five bikes and an electronic weighing machine from them. Eleven more accused persons were absconding.
The arrested include; Iruguralla Sathish, a juvenile, Mohammad Sameer, Bheema Anudeep, Mohamamd Abdul, Jadi Raghavendra Swamy, Guduru Ramu, Shaik Athar and Shaik Sameer, all from different parts of the town, Arjun Babu Rao and Mohammad Azeej, both of Karimnagar were apprehended, following a tip-off.
The other accused persons Soma Praveen, a trader of CCTV cameras, Thagarapu Raju, Thagarapu Shruthi, Thagarapu Vinay, Ramalayam Rakesh, Sridhar, Munni, Chintu, Almekar Shyam, Sai and Sohail, all of the town were absconding.
On being interrogated, Sathish, an auto-rickshaw driver confessed to committing the crime by forming a gang with 21 persons including his friend Soma Praveen to make a fast buck. He admitted to procuring the contraband substance from Bhadrachalam by a car. He disclosed that they all raised an investment of Rs 75,000 to buy the substance.
Satish further told investigating officials that they were storing ganja at the warehouse of Praveen. He revealed that they were sharing the substance by packing it in sachets at the warehouse. Police said that some of the accused persons were already addicted to consuming ganja and became smugglers. The accused were targeting youngsters of the town.
Peddapalli DCP Chethana, DCP (admn) Raju, ACP (Special Branch) Raghavendra, ACP (Mancherial) R Prakash, ACP (Task Force) Malla Reddy, ACP (Godavarikhani) Ramesh CIs Pramod, Raj Kumar and Ramesh SIs Latchanna, Upender, Kiran Kumar and others also participated.
