Bihar Trio Arrested with Cannabis at Agartala Station

Three alleged drug traffickers from Bihar were apprehended with 21.3 kg of cannabis at Agartala Railway Station. In collaboration, the GRP and RPF arrested the suspects, seizing cannabis worth Rs 2.1 lakh. Investigations are ongoing, promising further arrests in the larger trafficking network.

In a decisive joint operation, the Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) apprehended three alleged drug traffickers from Bihar at Agartala Railway Station, seizing 21.3 kilograms of cannabis late on January 19. The suspects, caught on platform 1 just before the Rani Kamalapati Express was set to depart, are identified as Shambhu Paswan, 38, Niranjan Kumar, 20, and Shanti Devi, 38, all hailing from the Samastipur district.

Authorities revealed that the cannabis, valued at about Rs 2.1 lakh, was concealed in three bags. Upon interrogation, the suspects admitted to previous interstate drug smuggling activities, reportedly spanning four to five similar trips. They also divulged details concerning a broader criminal network based near the station, which officials are now actively investigating. A case has been filed under the NDPS Act at Agartala GRP Police Station against the accused, who are slated to appear before the court on January 20.

This operation follows a similar bust on January 11, when a collaborative effort by Agartala's GR police station and the RPF led to the arrest of two individuals, Mohammad Mehedi Hasan Nazmul and Shaheena Akhtar, also implicated in narcotic trafficking. Officers confiscated Rs 8.3 lakh in cash during the arrest, believed to be profits from drug sales. The recent string of busts marks a crackdown on drug trafficking via railway networks, with more arrests anticipated as investigations progress.

(With inputs from agencies.)