A huge seizure of Ganja saplings numbering about 63,000, and when fully grown which would worth between 40 to 50 crores of rupees have been seized from the Guru Teak Plantation area of Neriya village in Belthangady taluk. Early this morning on 28-01-2005 on receiving specific information a team comprising of ASP Puttur, CPI Belthangady PSI Belthangady and staff about 14 of them left for Neriya village at 0500 AM, under directions from SP DK. After reaching Guru Teak Plantation which is about 25 kms from Belthagady, the team began a steep uphill trek in the thick forest for about 8 kms after which they arrived at the ganja plantation site. On observing from a distance the team found that about 5 to 6 laborers were busy watering the saplings. With an intention to nab the accused persons two police constables armed with SLR weapons were directed to slowly stalk upto them and nab them. Just them the accused persons two of whom were also armed with weapons, suddenly opened fire at the two constables. The PC’s in self defence returned fire with about 10 rounds and as a result all the accused fled from the place and disappeared into the thick forest. On pursuing them one of the accused left behind the local made muzzle loading gun that he had used, and it was seized. The team then made a inspection of the area and discovered about 11 acres of land belonging to the Guru Teak Plantation have been deforested and being used in a well organized manner for ganja cultivation. The area being covered by small pits and each pit having about 30 saplings planted together. In all about 2100 pits were discovered with about 51000 saplings. In addition two areas were converted into ganja sapling nurseries, each nursery having about 300 packets, with 20 saplings in each packet, in all 12000 saplings in the nursery. In all the following items were seized,
1. 63000 saplings of ganja, all aged about 1 month.
2. One single barrel muzzle loading gun,
3. Two empty cartridges of a breach loading gun
4. Two black pipes used for watering
5. Aluminum vessels
6. One large saw and a knife.
It is a know fact that a fully grown ganja plant yields about 1 kg of ganja and the market value of 1 kg ganja is about 8 to 10 thousand. Therefore the potential value of the seized saplings is being estimated between 40 to 50 crores. The cultivated area falling under the Guru Teak Plantations, a case is taken up under Belthangady PS Cr No.25/05 U/S 353, 307 IPC and sec 8(a), 20 (a) (b) of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotrophic Subtances Act 1985 (NDPS Act 1985) and sec 8, 20 of Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act 1976., against the owner, manager, security incharge of Guru Teak Plantations along with unknown others working in the plantation. The manager of the plantation Prithviraj and the security incharge Sadashiva have been secured and taken to custody. The case is under investigation.
1. 63000 saplings of ganja, all aged about 1 month.
2. One single barrel muzzle loading gun,
3. Two empty cartridges of a breach loading gun
4. Two black pipes used for watering
5. Aluminum vessels
6. One large saw and a knife.
It is a know fact that a fully grown ganja plant yields about 1 kg of ganja and the market value of 1 kg ganja is about 8 to 10 thousand. Therefore the potential value of the seized saplings is being estimated between 40 to 50 crores. The cultivated area falling under the Guru Teak Plantations, a case is taken up under Belthangady PS Cr No.25/05 U/S 353, 307 IPC and sec 8(a), 20 (a) (b) of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotrophic Subtances Act 1985 (NDPS Act 1985) and sec 8, 20 of Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act 1976., against the owner, manager, security incharge of Guru Teak Plantations along with unknown others working in the plantation. The manager of the plantation Prithviraj and the security incharge Sadashiva have been secured and taken to custody. The case is under investigation.
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