In a significant breakthrough, the Keonjhar Sadar Police arrested eight individuals involved in an illegal brown sugar trafficking racket on August 8, 2025.
Acting on credible intelligence, a joint operation by the Sadar Police and a special squad led to the seizure of 146 grams of brown sugar, a Tata Indica car, three motorcycles, six mobile phones, and ₹4,900 in cash.
The operation, directed by Keonjhar SP Nitin Kushalkar, marks a major step in curbing the drug menace in the region. The investigation began with the arrest of two key suspects, Amit Kumar Sahu (36) and Sudhir Chandra Behera (37), from whom the police recovered the brown sugar and a Hero HF Deluxe motorcycle.
During interrogation, the duo revealed they were sourcing the drugs from Angul and distributing them to local peddlers in the Sadar, Town, and Turumunga police station areas. Their confessions led to the identification and arrest of six additional members of the network: Shantanu Brahma (45), Bishwajit Tripathy (26), Sarban Sahu (30), Saharukh Khan (32), Anil Kumar Sahu (30), and Sahil Khan (29).
The seizures were conducted in the presence of a weighing expert and an executive magistrate, ensuring transparency. Inspector Amit Kumar Bhuyan, who led the operation, stated that the arrests have dismantled a significant portion of the local drug distribution network. The Sadar Police’s swift action has been hailed as a major success, with residents expressing hope that such efforts will deter further drug-related activities in Keonjhar.
This bust follows another reported operation in Keonjhar, where 21 individuals were arrested with 213 grams of brown sugar and ₹8.3 lakh in cash on July 31, 2025. While it remains unclear if the two cases are connected, the Sadar Police’s consecutive successes highlight their commitment to tackling the drug trade in the district.
