Illegal opium plants destroyed in Shillai

Tribune News Service

Solan, May 23

Shillai police detected as many as 700 illegally grown opium plants at the remote Hallan Panchayat in Shillai area of Sirmaur where the plants had attained maturity.

On receiving a tip-off about this illegal activity police visited the fields belonging to a local villager and destroyed the plantations. Opium plants were found blooming in the fields.

A case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, Act, has been registered against Santram, a 50-year old man. Further demarcation of the land would be undertaken to ascertain the ownership, police said.

After being produced before a local court, he was remanded to three days in police custody.

Cultivation of opium is prohibited but given the high monetary gains it is often undertaken in a clandestine manner in the far-flung villages.