Sundargarh: In a major crackdown on illegal narcotics cultivation, police and excise officials destroyed opium poppy grown on nearly five acres of land in Kundupukhuri village under Koira police station limits of Sundargarh district on Saturday. The estimated market value of the destroyed crop exceeds ₹30 lakh. Two persons have been detained in connection with the case.
Acting on the instructions of the Rourkela Superintendent of Police and the Rourkela Excise Superintendent, a joint team comprising Koira police, officials from the Bonai Excise Department, and Koira Magistrate Nirmal Biswal conducted the operation. The team reached the Kundupukhuri area, located around eight kilometres from Koira police station, following specific intelligence inputs.
During the raid, officials found opium poppy plants spread across approximately five acres of land. The cultivation site resembled a well-maintained flower garden, indicating systematic and planned farming of the prohibited crop. All the poppy plants were subsequently uprooted and destroyed on the spot in the presence of the magistrate.
Police sources said two individuals were detained from the area during the operation. Preliminary investigation suggests that both are residents of the neighbouring Jharkhand region. Their exact role in the cultivation and possible links to a larger narcotics network are being examined.
Officials stated that a detailed investigation is underway to ascertain how long the illegal cultivation had been going on and whether more people were involved. Further legal action will be initiated based on the findings of the investigation.
