Vijayawada: Ongole Taluka police in Prakasam district arrested a ten-member gang involved in ganja peddling, substance abuse, and chain-snatching activities. The accused are Gunji Narasimha Rao (30), Bonthala Gopalakrishna, Enuganti Karthik (19), Shaik Altaf (28), Mota Naveen (27), Avulamanda Ankabbabu (40), Ekambaram Narendra (27), Tanniru Akhil (27), Kunduru Praveen (25), and Shaik Krupa Rao (37). Police also seized 1.5 kg ganja, valued at approximately Rs 30,000, and gold ornaments weighing around 145 grams, including five gold chains, one mangalsutra, and a black-beaded gold chain, collectively valued at Rs 14.5 lakh.According to Ongole DSP R Srinivasa Rao, the prime accused, Gunji Narasimha Rao, got addicted to ganja and developed contacts with smugglers from Odisha, including Milan Das, Shankar Patekar, and Hadi. He procured ganja from them at the Andhra-Odisha border at a rate of Rs 2,000 per kilogram. Narasimha travelled back to Ongole using a combination of rail and bus transport, repackaged the ganja into small sachets, and sold it to students near local colleges for anywhere between Rs 300 and Rs 500 per packet. The proceeds were used to fund his lifestyle and personal expenses.Over time, Narasimha was joined by associates Gopalakrishna and Altaf, both of whom also consumed and sold ganja. The network gradually expanded to include the remaining accused, many of whom were Narasimha’s acquaintances and clients. They operated together, consuming the drug and selling small sachets to others for a profit, which was shared among them.Recently, Narasimha made a trip to Visakhapatnam and then to the Andhra-Odisha border again to procure 1.5 kg ganja from his Odisha contacts. He brought it back via train and bus, and stored it at his residence in Ongole. On Friday night, as the group assembled near Mukthinuthalapadu village to divide and distribute the contraband, Ongole Taluka police, acting on a tip-off, conducted a raid and arrested all ten individuals on the spot.During the interrogation, it was revealed that one of the accused, Shaik Krupa Rao, was also involved in chain-snatching, particularly targeting women in residential areas. Police recovered gold jewellery weighing 145 grams from his possession, suspected to be stolen.DSP Srinivasa Rao stated that five more individuals from Odisha, including Milan Das, Shankar Patekar, and Hadi, who supplied ganja to Narasimha, are currently absconding. He assured that efforts are underway to track down and arrest these suppliers soon.
