WARANGAL(HANAMKONDA): A Task Force, in collaboration with Mattewada Police, dismantled a fake pesticide racket on Wednesday, arresting five people involved in the illegal sale of counterfeit products branded as reputed companies. Authorities seized fake pesticides worth approximately Rs 34 lakh, along with two vehicles, five mobile phones, and counterfeit labels.
The arrested suspects — Pilla Nagavenkata Rangarao (41), Muddangula Aditya (32), and Pitla Naveen (30) from Hyderabad, Katragouda Bhaskar Reddy (34) from Kurugodu, Karnataka, and Doodimetla Sridhar (30) from Miryalaguda — were operating within the Warangal Police Commissionerate limits. They were caught selling large quantities of substandard pesticides to farmers.
The operation began after police intercepted a suspicious vehicle near the Gopalaswamy Temple area in Warangal, where packets of fake pesticides were discovered. Driver Katragouda Bhaskar Reddy was detained and later revealed his involvement in a larger network based in Hyderabad. This led to a raid at a warehouse in Cherlapally, where numerous counterfeit products, including items falsely branded as Bayer, Tata, and Corteva, were found.
Police commissioner Ambar Kishor Jha lauded the swift action led by Central Zone DCP Shaikh Saleema and Warangal ACPs Madhusudhan and Nandiram Nayak, emphasising their dedication in protecting farmers from fraudulent practices.
