TVM techie grows cannabis in flat for personal use, held

Acting on specific intelligence gathered under the newly launched anti-narcotics drive 'Operation Toofan: The Narco Hunt', the Sreekaryam police in Thiruvananthapuram raided a Technopark employee's apartment at Althara on Monday evening and uncovered a mini cannabis cultivation setup inside.

Police found around 70 cannabis (ganja) plants being grown in flower pots and disposable egg trays inside the flat. The plants had been neatly arranged on tables, a window nearby, and were being carefully maintained with adequate sunlight, water and fertilisers.

The accused, Vishal, a native of Rohtak in Haryana, has been working at an IT company in Technopark for the past year. "We reached the flat and informed him about the purpose of our visit. During the subsequent search, we found the cannabis plants being cultivated inside the apartment," a police officer at the Sreekaryam station said.

According to the cop, Vishal claimed that the plants were being cultivated for personal consumption. However, police are also examining whether he was involved in selling the narcotic substance. He has been booked under Sections 20(a) and 20(b)(ii)(A) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, which deal with the cultivation of cannabis plants and possession of a small quantity of cannabis, respectively.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), the cannabis plants were grown in flower pots and paper trays commonly used for storing eggs. During the search, police also recovered 19 grams of ganja allegedly stored in an almirah inside the flat.

The accused was arrested, and the cannabis plants, along with other incriminating materials, were seized. Vishal was produced before a court in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday and remanded to 14 days' judicial custody at the district jail.

'Operation Toofan' is a mission Kerala must embrace collectively, says CM Satheesan
Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Tuesday described the growing spread of narcotic drugs as one of the most serious challenges confronting Kerala and called for a united societal effort to make 'Operation Toofan: The Narco Hunt' a success. Inaugurating the state-level launch of the anti-drug campaign at Cotton Hill School in Thiruvananthapuram, Satheesan said the initiative aims to rid Kerala of the drug menace through coordinated action by the Police, Education, Health and Excise departments.

"Youth are the foundation of a society's progress. Drug mafias are undermining that future by trapping young people in addiction," the Chief Minister said. He termed it unfortunate that Kerala has emerged as one of the states most affected by the spread of narcotic substances.

Emphasising the need for collective action, Satheesan urged the public to actively support the campaign and help authorities combat drug trafficking and abuse. He also assured the police of the state government's full backing in implementing the initiative and strengthening the fight against narcotics.