CHENNAI: In a joint operation with the Andhra Pradesh police, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) of Chennai Zone, seized about 1.75 tonnes of ganja from a Maoist. He was nabbed on the Andhra-Odisha border.
The arrested M Sundara Rao (40) is a Maoist wanted by Andhra Pradesh police in eight cases under UAPA Act and Explosives Act, the latest case registered in 2020. P Aravindhan, zonal director of NCB, said, “We will interrogate Sundara Rao about his role in the Maoist movement and how long he has been smuggling ganja."
Last week, the NCB officers arrested three persons - Saikam Kiran Kumar, Akalla Sivakotayya of Andhra Pradesh and B Suresh of Krishnagiri - at Nallur toll plaza and seized 160 kg ganja which had been hidden in secret cavities of the SUV they travelled in.
“Based on their confession, NCB team comprising SI Prem and two other constables from Chennai zonal unit and four personnel from Hyderabad unit, camped in Paderu in ASR district for about a week. A team of 30 personnel from Andhra Pradesh also assisted in the operation,” said Aravindhan.
The team surrounded Ginnegaruvu, a village from where the trio sourced the ganja, and entered at night hours since it was a sensitive area with Maoist activities, said Aravindhan. Shockingly, the team found a huge quantity of ganja kept in the house of Sundara Rao without any protection. He was secured and brought to Chennai.
After a detailed investigation police said Sundara Rao sourced the ganja from the interior parts of Odisha and had plans to despatch it to southern states, including Tamil Nadu.