20 kg of Ganja seized, three arrested

Police today seized 20 kg of ganja which was being transported in a car from Gochhapada in Kandhamal district to Bhubaneswar and arrested three persons.
Jitendra Behera, the driver of the vehicle who had reportedly taken the vehicle on lease, was arrested under section 20 B of NDPS Act.
In a separate incident in the Kandhamal district, Bamunigam police also seized about one tonne of 'Masani Chhali' (bark of a medicinal plant) which was transported from Bamunigam to Tushara in Bolangir district in a Pickup van. The vehicle was also seized.
Three persons - Bhanu Sharma, Pitambar Rana (Driver), Mahendra Rana (Helper)- were arrested.

Twenty-five bags each containing 40 kg of such forest produce were also seized and immediately handed over to the local forest authorities.
The seized minor forest produce usually use in manufacturing of some medicines, Basanta Kumar Panigrahi, Additional S.P Kandhamal told reporters here.