Bhubaneswar: The Special Crime Unit (SCU) of the Commissionerate Police apprehended two young women from the Jadupur area under Khandagiri police limits in Bhubaneswar for their involvement in the peddling of brown sugar. The arrest, made on Friday, unveiled a clandestine drug trafficking syndicate operating within the city.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Karishma Rout (30) and Pragyan Priya Swain (23). Alongside the arrests, law enforcement officials seized a substantial quantity of 256 grams of brown sugar valued at approximately Rs 26 lakh. Additionally, the police confiscated three mobile phones and a laptop from the possession of the accused.
According to an official press release issued by the SCU, the operation led to the unraveling of a well-organized drug network, with Karishma and Pragyan allegedly facilitating inter-district trafficking of brown sugar. The Narcotics wing of the SCU, spearheaded by K K Hariprasad, ACP, and supported by Inspector Durgesh Nandini Mohanty, Inspector Soumya Ranjan Biswal, Sub Inspector Tapan Ku Swain, and a dedicated team, orchestrated a targeted raid based on intelligence inputs.
The raid, conducted at a rented house in Jadupur, under the jurisdiction of the Khandagiri police station, revealed the accused persons’ modus operandi. Karishma and Pragyan, disguised as working professionals, had allegedly been operating the drug trade from the rented premises for the past year. It is believed that they were acting in connivance with a kingpin, procuring significant quantities of brown sugar and packaging them into smaller units for distribution within the city.
Notably, both accused individuals possess educational qualifications, with one of them having pursued post-graduation in Computer Application from a local college in Bhubaneswar. Their seemingly normal facade as working women renting a house served as a cover for their illicit activities, which have now been exposed by the diligent efforts of law enforcement agencies.
The arrest of Karishma and Pragyan underscores the gravity of the situation regarding drug trafficking in the region and the necessity for concerted efforts to combat such criminal activities. As investigations continue, authorities remain committed to dismantling drug networks and ensuring the safety and well-being of the community.
