Police, excise department destroy hemp plants

Police and excise department officials destroyed about 9,700 hemp plants during a raid at Palendi and Bondamunda villages in Odisha's Kandhamal district.

The hemp cultivation worth Rs 10 crore in the open market has been wiped out, said Kandhamal SP Mitrabhnu Mohapatra.

"The joint squad... has destroyed about 9,700 well- grown hemp plants," said Surendra Nath Murmu, SDPO, Phulbani.

Nobody was arrested in this connection, police said, adding, a case has been registered at Phiringia police station.

Meanwhile, the district unit of BJP has decided to gherao the Kandhamal Collector's office over rise in hemp cultivation, on December 20.