Duo arrested while transporting ganja from Odisha to Maharashtra via train

Two individuals from Bihar transporting ganja from Rayagada in Odisha to Mumbai in Maharashtra were arrested during a joint operation by the Government Railway Police (GRP) Secunderabad and Railway Protection Force (RPF). The officials seized nearly 19 kilograms of the contraband worth about ₹9.41 lakh from them.

The accused were identified as Ajay Kumar, 35 and his sister-in-law Rina Devi, 40, both residents of Nalanda district in Bihar. Police said the two were working under the directions of another accused, Pankaj from Rayagada, Odisha, and a native of Bihar, who is currently absconding.

The duo was arrested on Tuesday during a surprise check against drug peddlers at Secunderabad railway station.

Investigations revealed that Ajay Kumar and Rina Devi had agreed to smuggle ganja from Odisha to Mumbai for a payment of ₹5,000 each per trip. Acting on this arrangement, they met Pankaj in the Muniguda forest area, where he handed over two trolley bags, each packed with multiple parcels of ganja wrapped in brown adhesive tape, and provided them with train tickets to Mumbai.

The accused boarded the Mumbai LTT Express and kept the bags under their berths in the AC coach. When the train arrived on platform number 10 of Secunderabad station, police personnel found their behaviour suspicious and questioned them. On interrogation, they admitted to carrying ganja in their luggage.

The GRP and RPF officers seized a total of 18.823 kilograms of dry ganja and two mobile phones from their possession. Further investigation is under way.