Chennai, April 10: Around 140 kilograms of ganja, valued at several lakhs of rupees, was seized from a secluded area in Tamil Nadu’s Anakaputhur on Thursday.

The seizure led to the arrest of a notorious drug smuggler from Andhra Pradesh. The accused was identified as Appala Naidu (20).

Naidu’s accomplice, Rahman (28) and several drug dealers are currently absconding.

According to police sources, the contraband was procured in bulk from Odisha.

Naidu and Rahman had travelled to the forested foothills of Odisha, where they purchased the ganja directly from local cultivators. The harvested ganja was then dried, processed, and packed into small five-gram sachets, totaling 140 kilograms.

To evade detection, the smugglers avoided transporting the ganja directly by vehicle. Instead, local women carried the packets on their heads through dense forest areas and cashew plantations. These packets were then hidden near the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border along various national highways, police sources said.

Once the ganja reached these hideouts, it was transported to Tamil Nadu and Kerala in cars.

To ensure safe passage, the smugglers deployed two men on motorbikes to serve as escort pilots – one riding ahead and the other following behind the ganja-laden vehicle, maintaining a buffer zone of about one kilometer. Upon entering Tamil Nadu, the initial escorts returned, and Appala Naidu assumed escort duties on a motorbike, while Rahman followed in the car carrying the contraband, the police sources said.

The drop-off took place in a remote, bushy patch in Anakaputhur, where the ganja was unloaded and concealed.

While Rahman fled the scene in the vehicle, Naidu stayed behind to guard the stash and coordinate with local wholesale and retail dealers.

However, acting on a tip-off, the Shankar Nagar Special Task Force conducted a swift and well-coordinated operation. They surrounded the area, apprehended Naidu, and seized the entire consignment.

Authorities also confiscated Naidu’s mobile phone, which is now being examined to trace his network of contacts and potential clients across Chennai’s suburbs.

The police are continuing their efforts to track down Rahman and other members of the distribution network.

The operation has drawn significant attention for exposing an elaborate and well-organised smuggling route stretching from the forests of Odisha to the outskirts of Chennai, complete with security escorts and logistical coordination.

Udupi (Karnataka), April 10: The Karnataka BJP’s ‘Janakrosh Yatra’, organised against the Congress-led government over price rises and reservations for Muslims in tenders for public work, entered its fourth day on Thursday. The BJP tore into the Congress-led Siddaramaiah government for “failing” the backward classes who comprise more than 50 per cent of the total population in the state.

Speaking at a public gathering here, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Kota Srinivas Poojary said: “We have no objection if you give Rs 10,000 crore or even Rs 1 lakh crore to minorities. But what about the children from backward classes and Scheduled Castes who are now in a situation where they are crying out for hostel seats? What justice have you (addressing Siddaramaiah) done to these communities who constitute more than 50 per cent of the population?”

He also demanded an answer to whether the Congress was elected to power so that slogans like “Let Pakistan win” could be raised in the Vidhana Soudha. He said that the “nationalist” Congress members must respond to this.

Poojary further said: “The fall of CM Siddaramaiah’s government is certain, and there should be no doubt about it.”

“Just like blowing of wind and fluttering of curtains are inevitable, so is the fall of this government. He further emphasised that the people across Karnataka are expressing outrage against the current administration, and various public protests are taking place.

Karnataka unit BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra, addressing the gathering, said: “The Congress-led government has been reduced to a government of advertisements. It is not the government of the poor. Instead, it is burdening the poor with price hikes.

CM Siddaramaiah came to power in the name of backwards and oppressed classes. But, after coming to power, he has conveniently forgotten those people and going behind a minority community and pursuing the anti-Hindu policy, Vijayendra said.

“There are no elections around the corner for the BJP to organise the Janakrosh Yatra to gain any political advantage. The main objective is to oppose the Congress led government and create awareness among people against its anti-people policies,” he underlined.

Former minister B. Sriramulu appealed to BJP leaders and workers to work hard to bring the party back to power in the future.

Speaking at a public meeting organised on Thursday in Udupi as part of the BJP’s Janakrosha Yatra, he said due to rising prices, common people in the state are now struggling to survive.

“On one hand, the government remains silent, deaf, and mute. It sits like the blind, refusing to see the reality. This protest is being carried out to awaken the government and because people are facing real problems in their daily lives,” he explained.

He strongly condemned the suspension of BJP MLAs who were forcefully removed from the Assembly by marshals during the Budget session.

He pointed out that Siddaramaiah’s close associate, MLA and CM’s Economic Advisor Basavaraj Rayareddy himself has stated that Karnataka has now reached the number one position in corruption in the entire country.

“Corruption is rising at an alarming level. There is a competition among Congress ministers over who can be more corrupt. This Congress government is looting all the wealth of the state. Ministers are busy collecting money and securing their positions,” he said.

The BJP leader further alleged that in the Valmiki Development Corporation and other similar institutions, funds are being emptied through corruption, and then government-appointed officers are used to give clean chits under the pretext of investigations.

Poojary praised Udupi district, calling it a place that has taught discipline and dedication to the entire state and to BJP workers.

Recalling the contributions of the late BJP leader V.S. Acharya, he said that whenever the topic of Udupi comes up, Acharya’s memory resurfaces.

He concluded by urging everyone to work towards bringing the BJP back to power in 2028 under the leadership of B.Y. Vijayendra.

Guwahati, April 10: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday that over 43 lakh persons, including a large section of women, are set to benefit from the state government’s cash transfer scheme.

Taking to social media platform X, CM Sarma wrote, “It’s the 10th of April and like every month, today is Pension and Orunodoi Day in Assam, our most comprehensive Jan Kalyan effort. Over 43 lakh people, mostly women will get over ₹384cr directly in their bank accounts to enable them to fulfill their basic necessities.”

Under the Orunodoi scheme, the state government provides financial assistance to women on the 10th of every month.

The CM earlier also asserted that to prevent fraudulent claims, the Orunodoi scheme is being linked with ration cards. The state administration has distributed at least 20 lakh new ration cards to the beneficiaries across the state recently.

CM Sarma highlighted the steadfast commitment of the current state government to ensure that the needy have regular access to rice.

He noted that the National Food Security Act (NFSA) was implemented in Assam in December 2015, with the aim of safeguarding the nutritional needs of approximately 2.51 crore beneficiaries.

He emphasised that 85 per cent of rural residents and 60 per cent of urban inhabitants should be entitled to ration cards.

The CM said that following the linking of ration cards with Aadhaar, an additional 60 lakh cards have been issued, thus facilitating the distribution of free rice via biometric verification.

He commended the successful implementation of the ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ scheme, which has been in place for the past three years, allowing beneficiaries to access provisions from anywhere in the country.

The Chief Minister clarified that ration cards must be collected between the 1st and 10th of each month and reassured the public that no fraudulent claims would be entertained, as the government has made substantial efforts to ensure that deserving families receive their entitlements.

CM Sarma stated that in the 2023-24 fiscal year, 42,85,745 new beneficiaries have been included, with 10,73,489 new families receiving ration cards in January alone, benefitting more than 52 lakh people. The Chief Minister also said that families holding ration cards would be eligible for free medical treatment up to Rs five lakh at government hospitals under the Ayushman Bharat and Ayushman Assam schemes.