Jharsuguda: In a major crackdown on the illegal narcotics trade, the Jharsuguda police on Wednesday arrested and forwarded seven persons, including three women to court for alleged possession of 53.25 kg of ganja valued at around approx—Rs 6 lakh. The arrests were made near Jharsuguda Road railway station based on a tip-off received from reliable sources.
Police identified the accused as Irfan Khan (37), a resident of Wasim Road near Asad Jamdar, Hamza, Junasaherkhila in Akola district of Maharashtra; Pankaj Banskar (21) of Katni, Madhya Pradesh; Sanjay Laxmanrao Dhawane (58) of Akola, Maharashtra; and Gobind Bijay Chandak (20), also from Akola (Rural), Maharashtra.
The three women arrested were Nina Bijay Chandak (43), Asha Binod Dahe (49), and Rizwana Parvin (41), all residents of the Akola district of Maharashtra.
According to police, a team reached the spot after receiving information about suspicious activity near the railway station premises. Upon searching the group, officers recovered 53.35 kg of ganja, which the accused were allegedly planning to take and sell in Maharashtra. In addition to the contraband, police also seized four mobile phones, Rs 1,230 in cash, and several Aadhaar cards from the accused. All seven were forwarded to court following their arrest.
