Sun Nov 10 04:17:31 UTC 2024: ## Ganja Cultivation Ring Busted in Visakhapatnam City Center
**Visakhapatnam, November 10, 2024:** In a surprising turn of events, the One Town police have apprehended a three-member gang allegedly involved in cultivating ganja saplings in a secluded area near the Andhra Medical College (AMC) Hostel, close to the King George Hospital (KGH). This discovery marks the first instance of ganja cultivation being detected within the city limits, shocking authorities and residents alike.
The gang, operating for the past 18 months, had been cultivating ganja in small quantities, consuming it themselves, and selling the remainder to young people at exorbitant prices, according to police investigations.
The arrested individuals have been identified as K Prem Kumar and K Abhi Kumar, with a juvenile also taken into custody. Two other suspects remain at large.
This bust comes shortly after Home Minister V Anitha and Commissioner of Police Shankabrata Bagchi conducted a security inspection at AMC hostels and KGH premises, leading to the intensification of security measures in the surrounding area.
The police received information about suspicious individuals consuming ganja in the isolated area near the AMC hostel, leading to a raid that resulted in the apprehension of the culprits.
Inspector G. Demudu Babu of the One Town police station revealed that the secluded area, characterized by dense foliage and dilapidated structures, was used by the gang for their illicit activities. They would jump over boundary walls to access the site, and obtain the ganja saplings from the Agency areas of ASR district. The motive behind cultivating ganja within the city was to avoid police patrols and ensure a steady supply.
Two kilograms of ganja were seized from the accused, who claimed to have brought the saplings from the Agency. However, police are investigating how they managed to cultivate the plant under the local climate conditions.
This arrest serves as a stark reminder of the increasing presence of illicit activities, even in seemingly secure areas of the city. Authorities have vowed to continue their vigilance and intensify efforts to combat such criminal activities.
First Piper 