Hazaribag: Chatra district police on Saturday arrested two persons for allegedly clearing forest land and preparing it for illegal poppy cultivation in the Lawalong police station area. An FIR has been lodged under the NDPS Act and relevant provisions of the Forest Act. Both accused have been sent to judicial custody.Police said 500 grams of poppy seeds were seized from the site.The accused have been identified as Umesh Ganjhu alias Mahendra Ganjhu, 32, and Keshwar Ganjhu, 29. Both are residents of Pipradih Tola under Sambhe village.According to police, the two were allegedly preparing around 10 decimals of forest land near Buchua Nala for sowing poppy seeds. Chatra SP Animesh Naithany said police had received information that forest land was being cleared for illegal poppy cultivation.“Following verification, a special team led by Simaria SDPO Sunny Vardhan and Lawalong police station OC Chandan Singh raided the area and apprehended the duo,” he said.Naithany said strict legal action was being taken against those encroaching on forest land and engaging in the narcotics trade.
