150 acres of illegal poppy cultivation destroyed by police in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum

Chaibasa (Jharkhand), Jan 25 (PTI) West Singhbhum district police has destroyed illegal poppy cultivation in over 150 acres of land, an officer said on Saturday.

Around 91 acres of illegal poppy cultivation was destroyed under Bandgaon police station limit of the district followed by 40.60 acres in Tebo police station limit, Superintendent of Police Ashutosh Shekhar said.

Illegal poppy cultivation was destroyed in over 14 acres of land in Toklo police station limit and 5.2 acres of illegal poppy cultivation destroyed under Karaikela police station limit, the SP said.

The SP said seven Maoists were killed, 35 ultras were arrested and 15 surrendered in the course of anti-Maoist operations in the district between January 1 and December 31 of 2024.

He said said altogether 131 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and 210 kg of explosive substances were seized during the period.

Besides, security forces also seized 32 firearms, 1,624 rounds of live cartridges and Rs 12,83,000 in cash from Maoists.

The West Singhbhum district detected and defused 32 IEDs planted by CPI(Maoists) in various forests to target security personnel engaged in the combing operation, the SP said, adding that 55 pieces of gelatin sticks were also seized.