In a shocking case, a Plus Three Science second year student of Tikabali College in Kandhamal district was arrested by Excise Department sleuths on Tuesday for transporting ganja illegally.
After interrogating him, it came to the fore that he had joined a ganja trafficking racket in a bid to arrange money to gift his girlfriend a costly mobile phone.
Sources said the student, identified as Nilakantha Hans (20), was held by excise officials when he was transporting 75 kg of ganja, estimated to be worth Rs 5 lakh, in a Honda City car from Hanspal in Bhubaneswar to Jaleswar in Baleswar district along with one Deepak Kumar Sahu.
Acting on a tipoff, the officials intercepted the vehicle, bearing registration number OR02-BP-9009, on the Kathajodi Bridge and seized the contraband besides arresting the duo.
Nilakantha confessed that he was involved in the racket as he had to arrange money for gifting a costly cell phone to his girlfriend.