Six Ebulam tribals held as slaves by Maharashtra's ganja dealer; rescued

ASR District: Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) police rescued six people including two children who were held as slaves by an inter-state ganja dealer in Maharashtra. The smuggler abducted tribals for not supplying him with cannabis. Police said it is a case of wrongful restraint, wrongful confinement, extortion, abduction, slavery, and criminal intimidation.

GK Veedhi police said that Pangi Kesava from Ebulam village lodged a complaint that he was arrested and sent to Central Jail, Rajahmundry in 2020.

During his prison days, he got acquainted with Subhash Anna Pawar of Wangi village in the Osmanabad district of Maharashtra.

After being released on bail, Subhash Anna Pawar came to Kesava's village in December 2021. Subhash gave Rs eight lakh to Kesava's brothers Govardhan and G Hari Babu and asked them to supply ganja.

Police arrested Hari Babu when he was supplying 1,700 kgs of cannabis to Subhash. Govardhan, however, escaped the spot.

Subhash later abducted Govardhan and took him to Wangi Village in Maharashtra.

Kesava's request to release Govardhan fell on deaf ears. In June 2022, Kesava, his wife Yashodhamma, four-year-old son Tarun, sister-in-Law Dhana Laxmi, two-year-old nephew Sandeep, and relatives, Vanthala Chitti Babu and Ramana went to the house of Subhash Anna Pawar.

Kesava and his family members found Govardhan and another person Gemmeli Nagendra Babu at Subhash Anna Pawar's house. They came to know that Nagendra Babu too was kidnaped by Subhash. Nagendra Babu's brother Chitti Babu had failed to supply ganja to Subhash after taking Rs 7 lakh. Nagendra Babu was enslaved by Subhash in 2020.

Kesava and Ramana asked Subhash to release them. Instead, Anna locked them in the room and asked Kesava to provide ganja worth Rs 20 lakh for their release.

A few days ago, Kesava approached the GK Veedhi police and narrated his tale of woes. A police team led by Inspectors G Ashok Kumar, Y Rambabu, Sub-Inspectors GA Raju, BC Shekar, and constable Sk Althaf visited Maharashtra and rescued the abducted persons and nabbed Subhash.

Police said tribals are lured by promising easy money and other incentives. Local people have been working as pilots and couriers. This is the first case where they were abducted.