The Giridih police on Thursday evening destroyed opium crops in over 30 acres of land at Nawadih and Bismtikker village under the Gawa police station in the presence of Giridih superintendent of police Karanti Kumar Garidesi. Police sources said that Maoists hand behind opium farming in the Gawa block of the district could not be ruled out. Giridih and some nearby areas have emerged as opium growing belt in the last two years.
Anti-social elements engaged in smuggling narcotics frequently come to Giridih from Delhi and other cities of UP to purchase the banned substance. An FIR was filed against land owners in connection with opium farming, said Gawa officer-in-charge Ramchandra Rajak. The SP refused to divulge further details of the interrogation of local villagers though he hinted that the police were very close in busting the opium smugglers in the city. Vigil is being kept at suspected selling points of narcotics to identify sellers and buyers.
Indicating that powerful people could be behind the farming, the police are treading the path very carefully. ASP Kunal did not rule out involvement of a big fish in the opium farming. He said, the police wants to unmask the real faces behind the crime. The ASP Kunal and SDPO, Raj Kumar Mehta also asserted investigations were on and the perpetrators of this crime would be brought to book shortly.