Chhatrapur: While festivals bring joy and celebration, they also cast a shadow, keeping police on high alert. In Ganjam district, criminals exploited the festive season, challenging law enforcement during the recent Durga Puja.
Ganjam Superintendent of Police Suvendu Kumar Patra ordered a district-wide crackdown targeting illegal gambling and firecracker possession. From September 15 to October 3, special teams conducted raids and surprise checks at suspected sites.
Police raided 40 gambling dens, seizing Rs 7,10,342 in cash, 124 mobile phones, and 26 motorcycles. Authorities arrested 260 individuals for illegal gambling.
Similarly, raids were conducted by special teams constituting magistrates, SDPOs, IICs and other officers under “Operation Agni” mission launched by the Odisha government to apprehend illegal possession of firecrackers and explosives.
Also read: Ganjam police lead state in Operation Garuda
Astonishingly, firecrackers worth Rs 52.72 lakhs were seized and destroyed by different police stations, registering 34 cases, arresting 2 people.
Chatrapur police alone seized more than thirty lakhs rupees worth of firecrackers in 3 cases, while Ganjam, Rambha, Purushottampur, Khallikote, Kodala and Beguniapada police have seized Rs 2.01 lakhs in 11 different cases.
On the other hand, police from Aska, Kabisuryanagar, Polasara, Buguda, Hinjilicut, Bellaguntha, Sheragada, Gangapur and Bhanjanagar successfully seized Rs 20.71 lakhs of illegal firecrackers and explosives, registering 20 different cases.
The department has issued warning notices to the culprits. Now, with Kumar Purnima and Diwali festivals around the corner, Patra vowed to continue operations to curb illegal activities.
PNN
