Around one tonne gutkha seized at Katpadi and Ranipet

Swift Summary

• Police seized approximately one tonne of gutka in two separate incidents near Katpadi and kaveripakkam towns in Vellore and Ranipet districts, Tamil Nadu.
• Three individuals were arrested:

– J. Vikram Pandey (30), from Rajasthan.
– M. Krishnan (24), from Bengaluru.
– Mohammed Kasim (43), from chennai.

• Incident details:

1. Near Katpadi, police stopped an SUV driven by Pandey during routine checks and seized about 400 kg of gutka meant for industrial towns like Sriperumbudur and Oragadam.
2. Near Kaveripakkam on the Chennai-bengaluru Highway, police stopped a lorry coming from Bengaluru to Chennai during surprise checks and recovered around 600 kg of gutka.

• Cases were registered by the respective police departments, and the accused were sent to Vellore’s Central prison as investigations continue.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The seizure highlights ongoing challenges with enforcing bans on harmful substances like gutka in India, despite strict regulations in states like Tamil Nadu that prohibited its sale due to public health concerns. the incident sheds light on organized networks smuggling such products across state borders to meet retail demand within industrial hubs.

This crackdown illustrates the need for enhanced surveillance at checkpoints along transit routes frequently misused for transporting banned goods. Moreover, it calls attention to grassroots challenges-such as demand among consumers-that undermine government policies aimed at protecting public health.

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