Baripada: Karanjia police destroyed a huge plantation of poppy worth around Rs3.10 crore at Jajaguda and Phulabadi areas deep inside Similipal Reserve Forest under Jashipur police limits Saturday.
According to an official press release, as per the instruction of Mayurbhanj SP S Susree an operation was conducted by SDPO Karanjia and IIC Jashipur for the destruction of illegal cultivation of poppy plants (opium) near Jajaguda and Phulabadi villages inside Similipal Tiger Reserve.
Approximately 1,54,980 poppy plants were destroyed from two places by setting them on fire in the presence of the Executive Magistrate, Forest and Excise department officials and Revenue Inspector. The value of the destroyed opium plants is approximately Rs3.10 crore.
Two cases (No-66/24 and 67/24) have been registered at Jashipur police station under section 18 of the NDPS Act in this connection.
It is worth mentioning that a total of 5,41,000 poppy plants having an approximate value of Rs10.96 crore were destroyed by the police inside the Similipal Tiger Reserve, February 24 and March 10. However, no arrest in this connection has been made by the police.
PNN