Nagpur rural police 1st in Maha to slap MCOCA on drug syndicate

Nagpur: A day after chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced to invoke Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act 1999 (MCOCA) against drug traffickers, Nagpur rural police, under superintendent of police Harsh A Poddar, initiated action against a 10-member drug syndicate under the stringent law.This marks Nagpur rural police as the first in Maharashtra to apply the stringent law against drug lords, signalling a robust stance against organised crime in the region.The operation, led by Khaparkheda police, targeted a gang headed by Ashish alias Gullu Rajbahadur Verma, 25. On April 27, a raid at the residence of Verma's accomplice Abhishek alias Chhotu Anil Singh in Walni village in the district had resulted in seizure of over 1kg narcotics, six firearms, 36 live cartridges, two empty cartridges, and eight Android phones with SIM cards, valued at Rs2,71,800. A special investigation team uncovered the gang's extensive network, involved in drug supply, illegal arms trade, murder, attempted murder, and spreading terror in Walni and Chankapur area.Key members, including Verma, Rohit Suryavanshi, Suraj Varankar, Vishwas Solanki, and others were arrested, with Shahroop Rajput apprehended from Madhya Pradesh. The gang's persistent criminal activities, despite preventive measures, prompted the invocation of MCOCA.