In a major drug trafficking operation, six individuals, including five women, were arrested by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Narcotics Intelligence Bureau (NIB) at Coimbatore Railway Station on Monday. The authorities seized 62 kg of ganja, valued at Rs 31 lakh.
The arrested suspects were identified as Japat Digal (25), Kandi Digal (46), Sulata Nayak (37), Rupina Nayak (44), Jyotsarani Digal (44), and Gelei Nayak (32), all residents of Kandhamal district in Odisha.
Sources reported that a special team led by Saurav Kumar, Divisional Security Commissioner of RPF Salem, was conducting a routine security drive when they noticed the six individuals carrying three large white polythene bags in a suspicious manner near Platform 1-A at around 8:30 AM.
Upon questioning, the suspects were unable to provide satisfactory explanations. The bags were inspected, and the contraband—ganja—was found inside. The drugs were seized under Section 42 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Later, Inspector Kumaresh from the NIB filed a case against the suspects, and further investigation is underway to identify the drug supply network.
K V Rathish Babu, Assistant Security Commissioner of RPF Coimbatore, along with the Crime Prevention and Detection Squad, which included ASI K Devarajan, HC Sumesh, HC Manuprasad, and WHC S Surabhi, was part of the operation.
