Eluru: Eagle Team Inspector General of Police Ravi Krishna, Eluru District SP K Pratap Shiva Kishore and Eagle Team SP Nageswara Rao conducted surprise checks in trains in the district on Thursday to prevent illegal trafficking of ganja and narcotics from Odisha to other parts of the country.

Railway Police, Eagle Team, District Police conducted the joint operation to eradicate trafficking of marijuana and narcotics from Odisha. The Eagle Team specially formed by the state government, Government Railway Police (GRP), and Railway Protection Force (RPF) have expanded the Operation Vijay programme with the joint participation of the district police personnel to eradicate illegal trafficking of drugs in Andhra Pradesh.

As part of these activities, surprise checks were conducted on several trains, including the Coromandel Express, at the Eluru railway station.

Review of authorities and progress in cannabis eradication Eluru District Additional SP (Admin) N Suryachandra Rao, Eluru DSP D Shravan Kumar and GRP and RPF personnel participated. Speaking on the occasion, IGP Ravi Krishna said that 21,736 kg marijuana has been seized across the state so far.

SP Pratap Shiva Kishore said that several awareness programmes have already been organised to make Eluru a cannabis-free district. He explained that so far, 700 kgs of ganja was seized in 20 cases in Eluru district besides arresting 45 accused. A special programme called ‘Drugs Bro’ has been organised across the district in collaboration with the district authorities.

If anyone is selling or consuming ganja in their vicinity, they should provide information to 1972, dial 112, or WhatsApp number 9550351100, and the details of those who provide information will be kept confidential, the district SP reiterated. The SP made a special appeal to the parents to abandon the misconception that their children will be sent to jail, if their children get addicted to marijuana or other intoxicants.

They should provide that information to the police. He assured that the police will help such children by providing counselling through de-addiction centres and keeping them away from intoxicants. He also said that the details of the sellers and suppliers of intoxicants will be collected and strict action will be taken against them as per the law.

Eluru Two Town Inspector Ashok Kumar, Three Town Inspector Koteswara Rao, Eluru Excise Inspector Dhanaraju, Government Railway Police DSP Ratan Raju, Line Inspector MB Durga Rao, Eluru Government Railway Police Station SI P Simon, Eluru RPF Inspector Bay Benny, SI Dhanush, ASI VV Ratnam and other police officers participated in these inspections.