Balangir/Bhawanipatna: Two government school teachers were among three arrested by Excise officials on charge of ganja smuggling at Bargaon Square on Belgaon–Saintala State Highway-26 in Balangir district Friday, sources said.
Excise officials arrested three persons, including two government school teachers, on charges of ganja smuggling at Bargaon Square on Belgaon–Sain tala State Highway-26 in Bolangir district Friday. The sleuths intercepted them and seized 33 kg ganja worth Rs 3 lakh and a car near Bargaon Square under Saintala police district in Balangir district and arrested three persons, including two government school teachers, in this connection.
The arrest of school teachers involved in contraband smuggling has become a topic of discussion in the region. The accused were identified as teachers Kishore Kumbhar of Sargul village and Jeetendra Kumar Sahu alias Jitu Sahu of Rinja village under M Rampur police limits in Kalahandi district, and their accomplice Sanjay Bag of Karlamunda block of Kalahandi district.
Acting on a tip-off and directed by Excise Superintendent Annapurna Rath, Excise officials from Titi lagarh and Tushura jointly raided the group while they were transporting the banned substance in a car bearing registration number OD-02-CL-8524, according to officials. They were trying to escape in the speeding car on noticing the Excise officials but got stranded after hitting a roadside information plaque on the state highway.
Officials seized the vehicle along with the cannabis consignment, and the three men were sent to court following their arrest. Kishore Kumbhar teaches at Khaliapali Government Upper Primary School, while Sahu teaches at Batikupa Primary School, officials said.
Kishore was previously arrested in a separate case involving fake educational certificates allegedly provided to numerous young job seekers in order to secure postal service jobs. That case remains under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and charges against him are still pending in connection with it.
