Eighth Suspect Arrested in Odisha Hostel Ganja Seizure

Fast Summary

• The Kalamassery police arrested Ajay Pradhan, 33, the eighth accused in a ganja smuggling case involving nearly 2 kilograms of ganja seized earlier this year from Government Polytechnic College, Kalamassery.
• Pradhan was apprehended from Daringbadi village in Odisha with assistance from the local police and officers from Balikuda and Daringbadi police stations.
• Police claim Pradhan was part of a large-scale ganja farming racket involved in smuggling wholesale and retail quantities to Kerala.
• Earlier arrests included three final-year students of the Government Polytechnic College during an overnight raid on March 14, 2025.
• Pradhan has been produced before ernakulam Sessions Court and remanded into custody.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The arrest marks another step toward dismantling organized networks of drug trafficking affecting Kerala’s youth and educational institutions. While authorities continue to pursue suspects across state borders, such cases shed light on growing challenges related to drug-related crimes intertwined with rural economies like those in Maoist-influenced regions such as Daringbadi, Odisha. Cooperation between state law enforcement agencies is critical for addressing these inter-state operations effectively while ensuring accountability at institutional levels where illicit activities are rooted. Continued vigilance is essential to mitigate wider damage caused by substance abuse among students.

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