Bargarh: The seizure of more than 5,000 bottles of cough syrup from a farmhouse allegedly owned by a senior police officer has sparked outrage in Bargarh district, intensifying public scrutiny of law enforcement’s role in tackling the illegal drug trade and raising questions about possible official complicity and selective enforcement.
The illegal trade in narcotics, including illicit liquor, cough syrup, and brown sugar, continues unabated across rural and urban areas of the district. While police and Excise officials routinely make seizures, alleged kingpins behind the trade remain beyond the reach of law enforcement agencies, fuelling public suspicion of leaks and protection within the system.
The latest controversy erupted after Bargarh Town police Wednesday seized 5,050 bottles of cough syrup from a house near the Banjibahali canal bridge along the Bargarh–Katapali road. According to sources, the property is a farmhouse owned by a senior police officer currently serving as a sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) outside the district.
Police arrested six people, including a woman, and detained two juveniles in connection with the seizure. However, the name of the farmhouse owner does not appear in the seizure case, despite the large quantity of contraband recovered from the premises.
The omission has triggered allegations of favouritism and protection, with critics claiming the officer was spared action due to his rank. The perceived leniency has further eroded public confidence in the district police’s credibility and impartiality in combating the drug trade.
Residents say the growing drug menace has contributed to a rise in criminal activity, including theft, robbery, assault and murder, often occurring even during daytime hours. The trend has also taken a toll on local youth, many of whom are being drawn into substance abuse and related crimes.
The exposure of an alleged cough syrup racket operating from a farmhouse linked to an SDPO-rank officer has shocked villagers and triggered widespread anger. Though the officer is currently posted outside the district, residents are questioning how such illegal activity could continue at his property without his knowledge.
Banjibahali village resident Brahma Mahakur said the house from which the cough syrup was seized belongs to a police officer. “If cough syrup can be seized from a police officer’s house, why would it not be found elsewhere?” he said, demanding that the officer be brought under the ambit of the investigation.
He added that villagers plan to meet the Inspector General (IG), Director General of Police (DGP) and the Chief Minister to seek action. Another resident, Ganesh Mahakur, said villagers were unaware of any illegal trade in the area and were taken by surprise by the incident.
He alleged that those arrested so far were only minor players and demanded that police dismantle the racket entirely and arrest the owner of the house where the trade was allegedly operating. Failing that, he said, villagers would approach the CM and the DGP.