Mayurbhanj: Acting on a reliable input that poppy plants were being illegally cultivated deep inside the Similipal Reserve Forest under Jashipur police limits of the district, Mayurbhanj Police led by SDPO, Karanjia and IIC, Jashipur police station, conducted a raid on Sunday and destroyed the illegal cultivation of poppy plants (opium) near Bakua and Kukurbhuka villages inside the Similipal Tiger Reserve. Approximately, 5,25,000 opium plants were destroyed by setting them on fire at the spot in the presence of the independent witnesses, Executive Magistrate, Forest Department officers, Excise Department officers, and Revenue Inspector.
The value of the destroyed opium plants is estimated to be around Rs 10.66 crore.
Two cases have been registered in this connection at Jashipur police station under Section 18 NDPS Act and 18 NDPS Act.
It is worth mentioning here that earlier, on February 24 this year, around 13,000 poppy plants valued at around Rs 26 lakh were destroyed inside the Similipal Tiger Reserve. According to the Mayurbhanj Police, further operations to identify and destroy opium cultivation will continue. Investigation regarding the linkages of the origin and end use, including transportation of opium, is being done directly under the supervision of Mayurbhanj SP.
