Visakhapatnam: The Srikakulam police have apprehended nine individuals for the sale of ganja and detained eight others for consumption. In total, 22 kg of Ganja was confiscated during the operation, which was initiated following tip-off. Srikakulam Rural sub-inspector arrested four suspects, Vallamsetti Chandu, Kola Arun Kumar, Harish Gunta, and Banka Joseph who were found riding a motorcycle with 5 kg of Ganja in two plastic bags.
Based on information obtained during interrogations, a joint raid was conducted by the Srikakulam police, along with excise and revenue officials, resulting in the arrest of five additional suspects and the seizure of 17 kg of Ganja. Furthermore, eight individuals were arrested for consuming the substance.
During a press conference on Sunday, Srikakulam SP Maheswara Reddy disclosed that one of the accused, Harish Gunta from Koraput district in Odisha and Banka Joseph, from the same village, had purchased ganja at a lower price of Rs.3,000 per kg from Seena, a cultivator in Burugulapadu village, Odisha. They were selling it in Srikakulam town at a marked-up price of Rs. 5,000 per kg. The consumers included Vallamsetti Chandu , Sailada Venugopala Rao , Kolli Yashodarao , Andala Sai Nikhil, Cheekati Yogeswara Rao, Jami Mohan Krishna, Jalagadugula Krishna Vamshi, Jalagadugula Vikash. The SP further revealed that Vallamsetti Chandu and his associates sold 30 grams of ganja for Rs.400.
The SP emphasised that special teams have been formed to combat the cultivation, transportation, and consumption of Ganja and other illegal drugs in the Srikakulam district.
21-year-old girl murdered in Atmakur forest
Anantapur: A 21-year-old girl was allegedly murdered by her boyfriend in a forested area of Atmakur mandal in Anantapur district on Sunday. B. Saritha, 21, was a third-year degree student at the Government Arts College in Anantapur town and was staying at a PG hostel near Raghuveer Towers in the Kamalanagar area.
She went back home a couple of days ago in Sirige Doddi village, Gummagatta, to attend the Goddess Mariamman fete. Her father Venkatesulu dropped her off at the Rayadurg Bus Stand on Saturday.
Since then Saritha did not answer phone calls from her family. The parents alerted the police, who then tracked the deceased's phone number. They found that the girl got down at Pampanur village in Atmakur mandal, instead of getting down at Anantapur town. Her body was found in the Vaddipalli forest area with serious head injuries. Police reckon the girl was hit with a stone on Sunday.
Based on the girl's call-list, it is suspected that she got down at Pampanur village and went with her boyfriend on his motorcycle towards the forested area. The duo are believed to have had an argument which led to Saritha getting killed. Later, the boyfriend fled from the spot.
Cattle grazers found the body and informed Atmakur Police. Saritha's body was shifted to Anantapur General Hospital for post-mortem.
Atmakur police launched a manhunt for the accused. The Valmiki Porata Samithi leaders demanded stringent action against the accused and justice for the deceased.
