Police fire in the air to apprehend fleeing ganja smuggler

The Nellore police on Sunday (August 17) fired two rounds in the air to stop a man, believed to be a ganja smuggler, after he allegedly tried to run over police personnel with his car during a vehicle check on Chennai-Kolkata national highway at Balaji Nagar here.

The man, identified as Beeraka Prakash (51) of Rajamahendravaram, was on his way to Nellore to sell a ganja consignment when he was intercepted by a team from the Balaji Nagar police and the Elite Anti Narcotics Group for Law Enforcement (EAGLE), who were acting on a tip-off. Prakash, however, tried to run over the personnel to escape arrest, injuring a constable, Feroz, in the process, EAGLE head and Inspector General of Police Ake Ravi Krishna told media persons here.

Subsequently, Inspector K. Sambasiva Rao fired two warning shots in the air and managed to arrest him, besides seizing 22 kg ganja from him.

The accused has several cases of ganja smuggling in his name in East Godavari, Eluru and Nellore districts. He also has a history sheet opened against him by the Jeelugumilli police.