Villagers in Gajapati protest ganja possession arrests

In Gajapati district, several tribal villagers protested outside the Adava police station on Tuesday. They demanded the release of eight people arrested for allegedly possessing ganja, a type of marijuana. Many women joined the protest, which disrupted traffic on NH-326A for several hours. The police acted on reliable information and raided Hadupadar village in the morning. During the raid, they found about 15 quintals of ganja, valued at around Rs 1.50 crore, stored in various houses. The police arrested eight villagers for their alleged involvement. Gajapati Superintendent of Police, Jatindra Kumar Panda, stated that the ganja was likely being prepared for transport to other states. Family members of the arrested individuals came to the police station, demanding their release. Villagers accused the police of taking innocent people during their daily activities. After discussions, the protest ended when police assured the villagers that they were investigating the claims. Amitabh Panda, the sub-divisional police officer, mentioned that they are increasing patrols in the area. Last week, police discovered over 20 quintals of ganja hidden in a nearby jungle, but no arrests were made as the suspects escaped.