Two held with 6.4 kg ganja at Gadag railway station
Bengaluru (PTI): Two persons were arrested for possessing 6.4 kg of ganja worth around Rs 6.46 lakh at Gadag railway station, police said on Monday.
According to the Railway Protection Force (RPF), the arrests were made on October 26 during a special drive under 'operation NARCOS', when RPF personnel at Gadag railway station noticed two men, both around 20 years old, sitting on platform number one with two backpacks in a suspicious manner.
On questioning, the duo revealed that they were residents of Dharwad district. A search of their bags led to the recovery of two bundles wrapped in grey and brown tape, suspected to contain dry ganja, the RPF said in a statement.
"The excise department was informed, and the excise sub-inspector of Gadag Range arrived at the spot. The seized substance, weighing about 6.465 kg and valued at approximately Rs 6.46 lakh, was confiscated after completing legal formalities," the statement added.
Both accused were handed over to the excise department for further legal action, the RPF said.
In another case, Bengaluru Customs earlier in the day said they intercepted a passenger arriving from Bangkok at Kempegowda International Airport and seized 2.2 kg of hydroponic ganja hidden in his luggage.
Officials said the passenger's checked-in luggage had a false bottom on both sides. On inspection, four packets containing 2.2 kg of hydroponic weed (ganja) were found in the concealed compartments.
The contraband was seized, and an investigation is underway to determine the source and destination of the narcotics, they added.
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BJP to fight Assam polls on twin planks of development, secure state
Guwahati (PTI): In a bid to win the Assam Assembly elections for the third time in a row, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday advised the state BJP brass to fight on twin planks: development and a secure state.
Shah, who wound up a two-day visit to Assam, held a nearly two-hour-long meeting with senior leaders of the BJP state unit at the party headquarters here, with a focus on discussing strategy for the state elections, expected in March-April.
Briefing reporters after the closed-door meeting, BJP Assam president Dilip Saikia said, "Development and a secure Assam will be our twin electoral planks."
He also said that Shah, known for his expertise in electoral politics, has offered valuable suggestions, and based on it, an action plan to retain power in the state will be formulated soon.
“Discussions were held in detail on our organisational and political calendars. Shah ji offered some very valuable suggestions, and we will implement those at the earliest…We will share more details on the action plan soon,” Saikia said.
He further said that the Union minister exhorted the state party leadership to ensure that not only do they secure a ‘massive landslide victory’ but also bag more seats than in the previous election.
The BJP currently leads a coalition government in Assam with the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), while the Bodoland People's Front (BPF) has also extended support.
In the 126-member Assembly, the BJP now has 64 legislators, while its allies AGP, UPPL and BPF have nine, seven and three memnbers, respectively. In the opposition camp, the Congress’ strength is 26, while AIUDF has 15 members and CPI(M) one. There is an Independent legislator also, belonging to Raijor Dal.
Saikia said that the party will continue to contest the state polls in coalition with its NDA allies, which was also favoured by Shah.
Dismissing reports of chinks in the ruling coalition, the Lok Sabha MP said, “As far as the NDA is concerned, we are united in Assam. There could be discussions about some issues on individual party forums.”
The saffron party has maintained that its alliance with the regional parties will continue, and formalities like seat-sharing arrangements are being worked out.
Shah, who was on his second visit to the state within a month, attended two other events in Dibrugarh and Dheamji earlier in the day. He left for West Bengal after the meeting at the Guwahati state party headquarters.
