36 ganja smugglers arrested in Odisha for killing home guard: Police

The arrests were made from Nabarangpur and Koraput districts, they said. A police team intercepted a group of persons who were smuggling ganja through the Chaulimendi forest in Balimela in Malkangiri district on Saturday night, they added.

Thirty-six persons were arrested in Odisha on Monday for allegedly killing a home guard who was part of a police team that intercepted them while they were smuggling a huge quantity of ganja, officials said. The arrests were made from Nabarangpur and Koraput districts, they said.

A police team intercepted a group of persons who were smuggling ganja through the Chaulimendi forest in Balimela in Malkangiri district on Saturday night, they added. The smugglers attacked the police team and killed home guard Banabasi Maharana, officials said.

A huge quantity of ganja was being smuggled through the forest area, they said. Several places were raided, following which the arrests were made, said Malkangiri's superintendent of police Rishikesh D Khilari.