Khunti (Jharkhand), March 26 (IANS) Under an ongoing crackdown against narcotics in Jharkhand’s Khunti district, police have achieved a major success for the second consecutive day on Thursday.

Acting on a tip-off, a police team conducted a raid in the Arki police station area and recovered a large quantity of illegal 'doda' (raw material used in the production of opium), while arresting two accused.

The operation was carried out based on secret information received by Superintendent of Police Manish Toppo. The input indicated that a substantial quantity of 'doda' had been concealed at the residence of Ankit Hajam and Lalu Hajam in Babu Toli of Naudhi village under Arki police station limits.

After verification, a raiding team was formed under the leadership of Station House Officer Praveen Kumar Tiwari. The police team reached the spot around 1 p.m. on Thursday, cordoned off the house, and launched a search operation.

During the raid, a youth present at the spot identified himself as Ankit Hajam alias Saju Thakur. During interrogation, he confessed to being involved in the illegal trade of doda along with his brother Lalu Hajam. Based on his disclosure, police recovered a total of 330.21 kg of doda packed in 21 sacks from the house. The estimated value of the seized material is around Rs 49.53 lakh.

Subsequently, police conducted another raid and arrested the second accused, Lalu Hajam.

A case has been registered at Arki police station (Case No. 07/26) under various sections of the NDPS Act, 1985.

The operation involved SHO Tiwari, Sub-Inspector Manish Kumar, Kundan Kumar, and armed personnel of Arki police station.

A day earlier, on March 25, police had seized 39.79 kg of doda and 6.320 kg of opium in the Jariagarh police station area, with an estimated value of around Rs 36 lakh. In that case, four accused — Santosh Aind, Jeevan Jashman Aind alias Lebre, Mahadev Tuti alias Manish, and Jatha Sanga alias Mukatra Sanga — were arrested and sent to jail.

--IANS

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