KOCHI: We often hear tales of daring police operations to bust narco gangs. This one goes a notch beyond. In a rare case, a police team from Palarivattom in Kochi recently treaded mined forest paths in Odisha to nab a kingpin cultivating acres of ganja and supplying ‘maal’ to peddlers across Kerala.
On August 17, 2024, three undercover officers from the District Anti-Narcotic Special Action Force (DANSAF) arrived at the Palarivattom police station. They brought in 27-year-old Suhail Nizar from Kayamkulam, who had been arrested at a local lodge with about 22kg of ganja in his possession.
“We never thought this case would lead us to a village inside a dense forest in Odisha,” says an officer who was part of the hunt. “After Suhail’s arrest, we began follow-ups to trace the big fish. During interrogation, he revealed two names: Tony and Renjith, both from Erumely.”
With the help of the cyber cell, the police arrested the duo. “Tony admitted to purchasing ganja in Odisha, and handing over the stash to Suhail at a hotel in Mangaluru,” the officer adds.
However, despite hours of grilling, the duo refused to disclose the origin of the seized ganja. They had avoided bank transactions and used smartphones sparingly to avoid tracking.
“However, while examining Suhail’s bank records, we noticed a suspicious transaction. He had transferred money to a person named Seemanchalmukhi, who held a bank account in Phulbani in Odisha,” the officer recalls.
“Further investigations revealed that Seemanchalmukhi rarely switched on his mobile phone, but his tower location often indicated a remote village in Kandhamal. He maintained an account on a social media platform, and we collected his photographs.”
Assistant Commissioner of Police P Rajkumar, upon learning of these developments, authorised a team to travel to Odisha. Considering Kandhamal’s reputation as a Maoist hotbed with frequent encounters between extremists and the police, officers knew the operation would be a risky one.
A team comprising Sub-Inspector Mithun, Assistant Sub-Inspector Reji, and Senior Civil Police Officers Ignatius and Akhil departed for Odisha on November 7. They reached the next day.
Based on initial intel, the team travelled about 10km through a forest to reach the Phiringia police station. “There we were told that the area where Seemanchalmukhi stayed was under the limit of Gochhapad police station. We faced an even more arduous 25km journey through a narrow forest road to reach Gochhapada. Thankfully, the local policemen were supportive,” the officer says.
“Seemanchalmukhi’s village was deep within the forest. We were warned that Maoists had laid landmines across the area. We sought help from BSF personnel who were engaged in anti-Maoist operations. Anxiety was high, especially after seeing pictures of security personnel killed in IED and landmine blasts.”
The breakthrough came when Seemanchalmukhi switched on his mobile phone, revealing his tower location. “BSF officers cautioned us about the risks of operating in a Maoist-infested area. But we decided to press ahead, and they agreed to back us,” the officer recalls.
With the help of informers nurtured by the local police and BSF, the team located his house. Under the guise of routine patrolling, officers entered the village.
“It was a tense operation. Seemanchalmukhi was not at home; it was a nervous wait. On his return, Odisha officers confirmed his identity and took him into custody. We immediately left the area,” the officer says.
At the police station, Seemanchalmukhi confessed to cultivating ganja across several acres in the forest. “He revealed that it was harvest season, and that he had recently earned Rs 1 lakh by selling about 50kg of ganja.
He went on to grumble about how ‘cultivators’ like him were exploited by middlemen,” the officer recalls.
Seemanchalmukhi was brought to Kochi for case proceedings. His nonchalance flummoxed the team. “He said his family would continue managing the crop in his absence. To him, ganja cultivation was a family occupation,” says the officer.
“Indeed, many others are involved in similar large-scale cultivation, supplying agents across India. Arresting a few ‘farmers’ will not disrupt the narco-trade.”
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