Though ganja plants worth over Rs 50 crore have been destroyed by burning by the squads of the police, Revenue, Excise and Forest departments in Gajapati district in last seven days, still nobody was arrested in this connection raising eyebrows here.
The joint operation of the four departments was carried out from November 27 to December 3.
The plantations were located in Tumangpadar and Panaspadar villages under Adaba police station, Gulmera and Dundum under Mohana police station, Karima, Puturpada, Bhimpur, Sumanpur, Daliswapur and Manikpur villages under R Udyagiri area, Muthaguda and ludiguda villages. These plantations were destroyed and set on fire. However, not a single man could be arrested as yet, confirming that fact that the culprits have been hiding knowing about the raids beforehand.
It is alleged that the ganja plantations are carried out by the mafias by employing the poor tribal labourers in the far flung and interior forested area of the district. These mafias have links with the local leaders and officials. A high level probe into the whole affair was demanded by the locals.