Kalyan GRP Busts Interstate Ganja Syndicate, Arrests 5 Across Three States
The Kalyan Government Railway Police (GRP) has busted an interstate ganja smuggling syndicate, arresting five key operatives and seizing contraband valued at ₹4.5 lakh. The police traced the multi-state network from cultivators operating in Naxal-affected forests in Odisha to bulk receivers in Goa, following an initial drug bust at Kalyan Railway Station.
The investigation was launched on June 1 when GRP personnel intercepted two transit carriers at Kalyan Railway Station. The arrested individuals were identified as Nikkikumar Hardev Shah and Kuldeep Raju Mahto Mandal, both natives of Bihar. Police seized 21.95 kg of ganja from their possession during the operation.
Through detailed interrogation of the two carriers, analysis of call detail records, mobile location tracking, and examination of financial transactions, investigators established the full route of the network. The police found that the contraband was sourced from Odisha and was being transported through Maharashtra for retail distribution in Goa.
Equipped with these leads, a specialised probe team launched operations in South Goa. Between July 18 and July 22, officers conducted targeted raids in Madgaon and arrested Ashrof Sunar Khan, who was identified as the intended recipient of the consignment, Kalyan GRP Senior Police Inspector Archana Dusane announced in an official release.
Following Khan's interrogation, the probe team extended its operation to Odisha's Kandhamal district. Between July 24 and July 31, police conducted searches across the region and apprehended Vidyadhar Laxmidhar Nayak, who functioned as the primary supplier for the network.
During questioning, Nayak identified Srikant Mander Pradhan as the primary source responsible for cultivating cannabis deep inside dense, Naxal-affected forest areas. Despite severe operational hazards and terrain challenges, the police team tracked down and arrested Pradhan from Daringbadi in Kandhamal district.
Senior Police Inspector Archana Dusane described the bust as an intricate, multi-state operation where investigators successfully traced the complete supply chain from the final receiver to the primary cultivator operating under extremely difficult conditions.
Dusane noted that close coordination with local police departments in Goa and Odisha allowed the Kalyan GRP team to neutralise a major interstate corridor for illicit narcotics. Further investigation is currently underway to uncover financial backers, identify additional associates, and track money laundering channels linked to the smuggling network.
