Nellore: YSRCP leader and party Nellore in-charge MLC Parvathareddy Chandrasekhar Reddy has alleged that Nellore city has become a centre point for ganja smuggling with the police department operating at the behest of ruling party leaders.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, he pointed out that police destroying one lakh kg ganja worth Rs 400 crore shows the intensity of the situation. He noted that the introduction of Inter Zonal System of shifting prisoners from one district to another is one of the main reasons behind increase of ganja smuggling in Nellore district.

Parvathareddy said that a few undertrial prisoners related to ganja smuggling in Visakhapatnam and Rajahmundry central prisons were brought to Nellore Central Prison recently and they acquainted with local prisoners, who will continue this illegal trade after releasing on bail.

The MLC alleged that police department is well aware of this fact but maintaining stoic silence over the issue as they were under pressure from the ruling party leaders, who were indirectly backing ganja smugglers. He criticised that SP Ajitha Venjendla, though a capable officer, failed to restrict ganja smuggling.