Operation Trishul: 6 Held for Growing Ganja Under Maize Crop in Nellore
16 Oct 2026 1:23 PM IST16 Oct 2026 1:23 PM IST
Police used drones to locate the plants, which were between three and six feet tall, adding that investigators also found a drip irrigation system installed at the site to support the cultivation
Six persons have been arrested after two acres of illegal ganja (marijuana) cultivation concealed amid a huge maize field was uncovered. (Representational Image)
Amaravati: Six persons have been arrested after two acres of illegal ganja (marijuana) cultivation concealed amid a huge maize field was uncovered, a senior police official said on Friday.
The ganja cultivation was detected on October 15 in Duttalur mandal, south of Duttalur village and west of NH-565, following a tip-off received by the Counter Intelligence Wing. The action was part of 'Operation Trishul', a police initiative targeting narcotics, crimes against women and children and road accidents, the official added.
"Acting on specific intelligence, our teams found around 1,731 ganja plants being cultivated on nearly two acres of a 9.5-acre agricultural field, concealed amid a maize crop. Six persons have been arrested in connection with the illegal cultivation," Nellore district Superintendent of Police (SP) Ajitha Vejendla told PTI.
According to the SP, police used drones to locate the plants, which were between three and six feet tall, adding that investigators also found a drip irrigation system installed at the site to support the cultivation.
Preliminary inquiries suggest that the crop had been grown over the past three months under the alleged supervision of U Subba Reddy of Duttalur.
The arrested persons were among nine people suspected of involvement in the cultivation, she said, adding that the investigation also indicated that the principal accused had previously been involved in ganja trafficking to Chennai, Delhi and Bengaluru.
Police are examining the alleged financial links to Pavan Reddy and Gopal Reddy of Guntur, who reportedly provided assistance and Srikanth of Punganur, who allegedly paid an advance to purchase the crop.
The harvested crop could have fetched crores of rupees to the perpetrators, according to statements recorded during the investigation, said Vejendla. Meanwhile, a case was registered at Duttalur Police Station under Section 20(a)(1) read with section 8(b) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. After obtaining the necessary permission, police destroyed the illegally cultivated plants, the SP added.
( Source : PTI )
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