Jharkhand Police seize 231 kg poppy straw, opium in Khunti; wanted smuggler held
Synopsis
Three coordinated operations in Khunti within 24 hours netted 231 kg of poppy straw, nearly 2 kg of opium worth ₹10 lakh, and a country-made pistol — with a wanted smuggler already in custody. The sweep signals a sharp intelligence-led push against Jharkhand's narcotics transit corridor.
Key Takeaways
Jharkhand Police conducted three separate anti-narcotics operations in Khunti district on 14 May within a 24-hour period.
231 kg of poppy straw was recovered from an abandoned car near village Ghaghra on the Gunloya-Saridkel road.
1.995 kg of opium , valued at approximately ₹10 lakh in the international market, was seized at Anigada Chowk on the Khunti-Chaibasa road.
Wanted accused Ram Munda of Aloudi village was arrested near Bhandra Chowk with a country-made pistol; sent to judicial custody.
Cases registered under the NDPS Act and Arms Act ; search ongoing for absconding suspects.
Operations led by SDPO Varun Rajak and overseen by SP Rishabh Garg .
Jharkhand Police scored a significant anti-narcotics victory in Khunti district on 14 May, seizing 231 kg of poppy straw, nearly 2 kg of opium, and a country-made pistol across separate operations conducted within a 24-hour window, officials confirmed. A wanted smuggler with a prior record in opium cases was also arrested, with cases registered under both the NDPS Act and the Arms Act.
Key Seizures and Operations
The first operation unfolded in the early hours of Thursday when a patrol team from Murhu police station intercepted an abandoned car near village Ghaghra on the Gunloya-Saridkel road. The suspects fled into the darkness upon spotting the police, leaving behind 13 sacks containing 231 kg of poppy straw — a raw material used in opium production. An FIR has been registered at Murhu police station under the NDPS Act, and a search is ongoing to trace the absconding accused.
The raid was led by SDPO Varun Rajak and Murhu police station in-charge Nayal Godwin Kerketta.
Opium Worth ₹10 Lakh Recovered at Khunti-Chaibasa Road
A second operation at Anigada Chowk on the Khunti-Chaibasa main road yielded 1.995 kg of opium, estimated at approximately ₹10 lakh in the international market. Superintendent of Police Rishabh Garg said that during vehicle checks based on specific intelligence, police attempted to stop a motorcycle rider who fled through farmland, abandoning his motorcycle and bag. The contraband was recovered from the abandoned bag. The accused remains at large.
Wanted Smuggler Arrested With Firearm
In a third simultaneous action, police arrested Ram Munda, a resident of Aloudi village and a wanted accused in earlier opium smuggling cases, near Bhandra Chowk. A country-made pistol was recovered from his possession. Acting on intelligence that Munda was present in the Bhandra area with a firearm, a team led by SDPO Varun Rajak laid a trap and apprehended him. A case under the Arms Act has been registered and Munda has been sent to judicial custody.
Significance and Broader Context
Khunti district has historically been identified as a transit corridor for narcotics moving through Jharkhand's forested belt. The recovery of poppy straw from an abandoned vehicle points to an organised supply chain, while the simultaneous arrest of a wanted accused with a firearm underscores the links between drug smuggling and armed criminality in the region. Notably, all three operations were executed within a single 24-hour period, suggesting coordinated intelligence-led policing. The search for multiple absconding suspects remains active.
Point of View
A problem that single-district crackdowns alone cannot resolve. The recovery of a firearm alongside drug contraband from a wanted accused is the detail mainstream coverage will underplay: it signals that Jharkhand's narcotics networks are armed, not merely opportunistic. Until inter-district and inter-state coordination matches the intelligence quality visible in Thursday's raids, the supply chain will simply reroute.
NationPress
12 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Jharkhand Police seize in Khunti on 14 May?
Jharkhand Police seized 231 kg of poppy straw, 1.995 kg of opium valued at approximately ₹10 lakh, and a country-made pistol across three separate operations in Khunti district on 14 May. A wanted smuggler, Ram Munda, was also arrested.
Where was the poppy straw recovered?
The 231 kg of poppy straw was found in an abandoned car near village Ghaghra on the Gunloya-Saridkel road, during an early-morning patrol by Murhu police. The suspects fled on spotting the police team, leaving behind 13 sacks of contraband.
Who is Ram Munda and why was he arrested?
Ram Munda is a resident of Aloudi village in Khunti district and a wanted accused in earlier opium smuggling cases. He was arrested near Bhandra Chowk after a trap laid by a team led by SDPO Varun Rajak; a country-made pistol was recovered from his possession and he has been sent to jail.
What laws have been invoked in these cases?
Cases have been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act for the drug recoveries and under the Arms Act for the firearm seized from Ram Munda. FIRs have been filed at Murhu police station and other relevant stations.
Are the absconding suspects still at large?
Yes, the suspects who fled from the abandoned car near Ghaghra and the motorcycle rider who escaped through farmland at Anigada Chowk are still being traced. Police have launched search operations to apprehend them.
