Tamil Nadu: Locals ask how forest staff missed ganja cultivation in Kodaikanal

Dindigul: Residents of Kodaikanal have expressed shock at the large-scale cultivation of ganja in a forest land, which was destroyed on Tuesday, and have urged for more vigilance from forest personnel to avert any such criminal activity. They also questioned the forest department for not finding out the activity thriving for long.

Ravikumar Agatheeswaran, a resident said the forest personnel who do not allow locals to even gather firewood and strictly monitor their movement, questioned how the illegal activity missed their eyes.

Around 150 fully-grown ganja plants spread across one acre of sloped terrain were destroyed by the police and forest personnel. Thirty kg of processed ganja kept ready for sale, was also seized by the Kodaikanal police team. K Sakthivel, 50, from Vilapatti and R Prasanth, 31, from Kumbur were arrested.

Dindigul superintendent of police R Sakthivel said they received the lead from two accused P Palpandi, 60, and P Veeramani, 45, from Usilampatti, who were arrested by the Devadhanapatti police for peddling ganja. The accused confessed that they had procured the contraband from Kodaikanal, where it was cultivated. They were planted three months ago, the SP said and added that it was first time that a cultivation of this magnitude has been unearthed by the police in recent past.