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2 held with 820 kg of poppy straw concealed under capsicum in Godhra

The Special Operations Group of Gujarat’s Panchmahal district received a tip-off that a pick-up van passing through Godhra in the wee hours of Friday was transporting poppy straw.

The Special Operations Group (SOG) of Panchmahal district received a tip-off that a pick-up van passing through the town in the wee hours of Friday was transporting poppy straw.The Special Operations Group (SOG) of Panchmahal district received a tip-off that a pick-up van passing through the town in the wee hours of Friday was transporting poppy straw. (Image: Representative Photo)

The Gujarat Police Friday arrested two persons for allegedly smuggling 820 kilogram of poppy straw (posh doda) camouflaged with green capsicum on the Indore-Dahod highway in Godhra under Panchmahal district.

The Special Operations Group (SOG) of Panchmahal district received a tip-off that a pick-up van passing through the town in the wee hours of Friday was transporting poppy straw. Accordingly, accompanied by a team from the Godhra B division police station and panch witnesses, the SOG police laid watch for the suspected vehicle on the highway. The police said that the illegal stash of poppy straw was hidden away in 37 bags under 95 plastic bags of capsicum.

“When the suspected vehicle was spotted near Abram Patel Muvada pick up stand, the police cordoned off the vehicle and began primary inspection. On being questioned, the driver identified himself as Buddhram alias Anilkumar Kishanlal alias Kishanram Bishnoi, and an accomplice was identified as Sohanlal Thakraram Bishnoi – both residents of Jalore district in Rajasthan…” SOG Police Inspector R A Patel told this publication.

Patel added that the accused were driving the pick-up van with a Gujarat registration but were headed with the stash of poppy straw from Madhya Pradesh to Sanchore in Rajasthan. A team from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) conducted a test at the spot and confirmed that the seized stash was opium.

“On weighing the recovered contraband, it was found to be 820.832 kilograms of an estimated value of Rs 24.63 lakhs. We are now investigating if the vehicle being used to transport the contraband was also a vehicle acquired by theft, which is usually the modus operandi of those smuggling narcotics…” the officer further said.

The arrested accused have been booked under sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. Two others have been declared wanted, including a Rajasthan-based supplier identified as Udhram Bishnoi.

Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues. Expertise: Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including: Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground. Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure. Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case). Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions. Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read More

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