SONAMURA, November 22 (TIWN): In an exemplary display of courage and bravery, a joint team led by SDM Sonamura Subhashis Das, BSF 158 Battalion, Police, Excise officials destroyed massive ganja plantations worth Rs. 28 crores in two days at Fulkumari Batadola area of Kamalnagar Gram Panchayat under Boxanagar R D Block.Tightening the noose further around the neck of the unscrupulous ganja cultivators and businessmen whose insatiable hunger for easy money has seen illicit ganja cultivations proliferating over the years in Sonamura Sub-Division, a joint raid team of Sub-Divisional Administration, BSF 158 Battalion, and Sonamura Police Station, led by SDM Sonamura-Subhasis Das, has today cut down 38,000 ganja plants raised over an area of 30 acres in Fulkumari Batadola area of Kamalnagar Gram Panchayat under Boxanagar R D Block between 9.30 am and 12.15 pm. Yesterday in same RD Block, massive 75,000 plants worth Rs.18.75 crore were cut down by joint team.

The monetary value of the ganja plants destroyed today has been estimated to be Rs.9 crore 50 lakh, considering the average cannabis yield from each plant to be 500 gm. With today’s operation, a crippling monetary loss has been inflicted upon the behind-the-scene investors in such ganja plantations, who are accustomed to operating hitherto with virtual impunity that made them so much well entrenched that their writ would run large in almost every local affair.

SDM Sonamura, BSF joint team destroying huge ganja fields in Kamalnagar Gram Panchayat. TIWN Pic Nov 21

It may be mentioned that today’s operation was carried out in continuation of the destruction done yesterday on 21st Nov in the same area, during which a massive 75,000 plants worth Rs.18.75 crore were cut down.  The raid team was composed of 45 select personnel drawn from Matinagar, Batadola and Kalamchowra BOPs of BSF 158 Battalion, Sonamura Police Station, and the Sub-Divisional Administration. Among others, Gulab Singh, DC, Inspectors K. P. Barai, Prabhakar Yadav, and Vasu Dev (G Branch) participated in the raid on behalf of the BSF, while on behalf of the Sonamura Police Station, Bishnupada Bhowmik, S.I., Partha Sarathi Paul, A.S.I., and Dulal Das, Head Constable, were present.

SDM Sonamura, BSF joint team destroying huge ganja fields in Kamalnagar Gram Panchayat. TIWN Pic Nov 21

In the wake of the relentless operations against ganja cultivations, certain reports have been received of attempts being made by some vested interests to obstruct and repulse the ongoing drive of the administration against such illicit activities. Yesterday, immediately after recovery of huge amounts of dried ganja from three houses in Batadola area, a local teacher named Pankaj Sarkar was allegedly intimidated and beaten up by some operatives of the local ganja and phensedyl mafia, apprehending him to be an informer of the SDM Sonamura, and eventually the Sonamura Police had to virtually rescue him from the Batadola area. Sri Sarkar has today morning lodged a written complaint against all the 10 persons involved in the incident.