War on drugs: Police, Maoists blame game over Ganja cultivation in Andhra

Police have blamed Maoists for the flourishing Ganja cultivation in Vizag Agency and AOB, while the red-rebels accuse the men-in-uniform of aiding illegal farming.

In the fight between the two, innocent tribals have become victims.

Police said that a diary recovered from the site of an exchange of fire with the ultras contains information on the nexus between the rebels and ganja smugglers. Maoists said the ganja has become a source of income for Police, Forest, Excise, and a few other departments.

Rebels said officials have been collecting huge bribes from the ganja smugglers. Maoists denied any links with the ganja cultivation and smuggling. They pointed out that the enforcement agencies are collecting bribes from the ganja smugglers.

Andhra Pradesh DGP D Gautham Sawang said most of the ganja is cultivated in the AOB region and that area is infested by red rebels. The red rebels are supporting the weed cultivation as it was the source of income (protection money from the smugglers) for ultras.

Police will root out the cannabis cultivation, the DGP said. He said the way AP is tackling the left-wing extremism (LWE) will pay dividends in the coming days.

Ganja trade has many facets. It involves many layers of people. From cultivators to financiers, seed and fertilizer providers, local transporters, local- traders, and inter-state smugglers, the trade involves a proper chain. The weed is transported from remote areas and reaches metro cities in the country.

Dismissing the allegations of the police, the ultras alleged that men-in-khaki were hand in glove with the Ganja mafia and collecting monthly Mamools (kickbacks) from the smugglers. The Ganja was the source of income for traders, middlemen, and enforcement officials only whereas the tribals became victims in the trade.

It may be recalled that the then ASP, Chintapalle, Syam Sundar suspected that some men-in-khaki were involved in transporting the Ganja. He had submitted a report to his higher officials some years ago. But the report had not yet come to light.

Recently a police constable GA Naidu attached to the Koyyuru police station was arrested for his involvement in the Ganja trade in Vizag district.

It may recall that a few years ago, Inspector of prohibition and excise, Narsipatnam, M Jaganmohan Rao was suspended for pilferage of over Rs six crore Ganja, which was seized from the smugglers in 2015. Jaganmohan Rao sold the Ganja back to smugglers and had collected money.