Kanker: A major case of cannabis (ganja) smuggling has come to light in Chhattisgarh. Smugglers transporting cannabis from Odisha engaged in a high-stakes, cinematic-style chase with the police, covering a distance of about 30 kilometers. During the pursuit, the smugglers attempted to run over Ritesh Mishra, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Keshkal, with their vehicle. The car grazed his foot, causing a severe injury to his toe. In an effort to evade the police, the smugglers discarded sacks filled with cannabis into a pile of trash and fled. The police recovered over 400 kilograms of cannabis from the scene, with an estimated value exceeding ₹2 crore.
A 30-kilometer pursuit between police and smugglers
According to reports, late Tuesday night, a Toyota Fortuner—carrying cannabis from Odisha—was being escorted by a Tata Winger (pilot vehicle). When the police attempted to intercept both vehicles, the driver of a Tata Nexon attempted to run over Keshkal SHO Ritesh Mishra. The vehicle grazed his foot, resulting in a serious injury to his toe. Following the incident, the smugglers fled in different directions.
Cannabis sacks hidden in a trash pile
To escape the police, the smugglers dumped the sacks of cannabis into a pile of trash near Gadiya Hill, close to a rice mill in Singarbhat. They then fled via different routes. In the aftermath, the Keshkal police stopped and searched a suspicious vehicle, but as nothing incriminating was found, it was allowed to proceed.
Around 12:00 PM on Wednesday, local villagers informed the Kanker police about the presence of suspicious sacks in the trash pile. Upon arrival, the police conducted a search and recovered over 400 kilograms of cannabis. The seized contraband is estimated to be worth more than ₹2 crore. 407 kg of Ganja Seized Just a Day Earlier
It is reported that due to ongoing construction work on the Raipur-Visakhapatnam Expressway, smugglers are using the old routes through Keshkal-Kanker to transport Ganja (cannabis) from Odisha. Notably, just one day prior to this incident, the Keshkal police had seized 407 kg of Ganja. These successive, large-scale seizures have raised several questions regarding the Ganja-smuggling network active in the region.
According to Kanker SP Nikhil Rakhecha, the police have obtained crucial leads concerning the vehicles used in the smuggling and the individuals involved. Separate police teams have been dispatched to apprehend the suspects.
