Nagpur: In a damning revelation, the Nagpur Rural Police have exposed a clandestine connection between notorious ganja (Marijuana) smugglers from Odisha and Naxalite groups operating in that State. The Local Crime Branch (LCB) of Nagpur Rural Police successfully arrested Bhimsen alias Rupu Nanda Pangi (32), a notorious ganja dealer from Kusuma, Orissa, and Alok Ramvilas Singh (35), a resident of Bajrang Vihar Colony in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
The investigation began in January when the LCB intercepted a container (HR55/S-2346) within the limits of Butibori Police Station, seizing a substantial 495 kg of ganja. Superintendent of Police (SP) Harssh Poddar, taking note of the gravity of the situation, directed an immediate investigation.
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Under the leadership of LCB PI Omprakash Kokate, the police launched an operation to trace the origin of the seized ganja. The subsequent investigation revealed that the supplier, Alok Singh, hailed from Varanasi. With the assistance of the Uttar Pradesh police, Alok was apprehended, leading to a series of startling revelations during interrogation.
It was disclosed that Alok, previously arrested in 2016 under the Dowry Prevention Act, established connections with a ganja trafficker while in prison in Varanasi. In 2019, this connection led him to Rupu Nanda Pangi in Orissa. The deal between Alok and Rupu was struck during the lockdown in 2022.
Alok, based in Uttar Pradesh, acted as the distributor for Rupu, procuring ganja and distributing it in nearby cities such as Varanasi, Ghazipur, and Chandoli. Alok admitted to purchasing ganja from Rupu and subsequently selling it in various locations.
A team from the Crime Branch was dispatched to Orissa, where Rupu was arrested and brought to Nagpur for further investigation. During interrogation, it was revealed that Alok had been actively involved in transporting ganja from Rupu to Varanasi via Nagpur in containers since 2022. Each consignment ranged between 300 and 500 kg of ganja, and the illicit substance was supplied in Varanasi, Ghazipur, and Chandoli districts.
The investigation further brought to light that Alok had conducted an astonishing 35 consignments to Uttar Pradesh over the last two years, indicating a well-established and extensive network of illegal activities. The Nagpur Rural Police are committed to dismantling this nexus and ensuring stringent legal action against all individuals involved. The case underscores the need for increased vigilance and cooperation among law enforcement agencies to combat the intersection of organized crime and insurgency.
Rupu’s connections with Naxals:
Rupu has been found to have connections with Naxal groups and has engaged in the distribution of cannabis nationwide. According to a senior police official, Rupu and his associates were actively involved in cultivating cannabis in the districts of Koraput, Bolangir, and Kalahandi. Upon receiving orders exclusively through ‘Telegram’ calls facilitated by a mutual acquaintance, they transported the cannabis in containers. The profits generated from the sale of cannabis were also contributed to Naxals as protection money.
