Fourth illegal opium field busted in CG, J’khand man detained

Raipur: After Durg and Balrampur districts, another illegal opium cultivation was unearthed in Chhattisgarh's Raigarh district, with police detecting the prohibited crop spread over nearly one-and-a-half acres in Tamnar block. Police and district administration teams rushed to the spot after receiving information about the illegal plantation.A man identified as Marshal Sanga, a resident of Jharkhand, was detained for questioning in connection with the case. Preliminary inquiry suggests that the land had allegedly been taken from a local farmer on the pretext of cultivating watermelon and cucumber, but opium was, instead, grown there.This marks the fourth such case of an illegal opium field being uncovered in the state over the past 15 days.The arrested Jharkhand man, Sanga was being grilled under custody under provisions of the NDPS Act, for further leads into the illegal opium cultivation, the police said. He is a native of Hadambanam village in Jharkhand's Khunti district.Raigarh SP Shashimohan Singh, who reached the spot, said police had received specific inputs about secret opium cultivation in the Amaghat area. Based on the tip-off, Tamnar and Punjipathra police began verification on Thursday evening, using informers, and picked up Sanga for questioning.The sleuths suspect that the cultivation had been going on for a considerable period, saying more people could be involved. A separate probe team has been formed to identify the entire network behind the plantation, the SP said.The field was sealed after the standing crop was confirmed to be opium. Teams from the administration, police, excise department and forensic science laboratory were at the spot till last reports. A forensic team from Raipur was called to examine the quality of the crop in detail.Investigators said Sanga had been living in the area for the past few years, allegedly cultivating opium along with his associates. Police are also verifying whether the land is privately owned or belongs to the government.The latest seizure adds to a worrying pattern emerging across Chhattisgarh, particularly in districts with suspected links to operators from neighbouring Jharkhand.The first major case surfaced in Durg district on March 7, where opium was allegedly being cultivated over five acres and 62 decimals at a farmhouse between Samoda and Jhenjhari villages. BJP leader Vinayak Tamrakar, former Durg Kisan Morcha chief, was arrested along with others, and opium plants valued at Rs 7.88 crore were seized. A rural agriculture extension officer was later suspended in connection with lapses in the case.On March 10, police busted another illegal opium cultivation over 3.67 acres in Tripuri Ghosaradand area of Kusmi in Balrampur district. Seven accused were arrested and 4,344 kg of opium, valued at about Rs 4.75 crore, was seized.Just two days later, on March 12, another opium field was detected in the Korandha area of Balrampur district, with the crop sprawling across nearly two-and-a-half acres of land linked to three farmers. That plantation was destroyed after villagers alerted the authorities.Police suspect that an inter-state cultivation network may be operating across parts of Chhattisgarh, using remote locations and local land arrangements as cover.In the latest Raigarh opium field busting case, questioning of the detained accused was underway, the police said, adding more arrests were likely as the probe picks up pace.