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Cops nab 9 farmers for illegal opium farming in Sangli

The total number of arrested farmers in connection of alleged opium farming in Sagaon village in Shirala taluka, Sangli, rose to 10 on Wednesday evening.

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The total number of arrested farmers in connection of alleged opium farming in Sagaon village in Shirala taluka, Sangli, rose to 10 on Wednesday evening, while the value of the seized opium straws were estimated between Rs2-3 crore by the police.

Sangli superintendent of police, Ravindra Shisve, told reporters that the police on Tuesday and Wednesday carried out raids in Natoli, Sagaon, Padali and Chikhali villages of Shirala taluka were the opium farming was detected on more than 10 acres of land. The weights of the seized straws were being taken. A farmer, Bhanudas Patil (55), of Sagaon was arrested on Tuesday.

“We had information of opium farming for the past few days. The police carried out surprise raids in all the farms simultaneously,” Shisve said.

“We will also probe whether the revenue staff such as circle officers and talathis were aware of opium farming,” Shisve said.
“We have carried out the raids as per the present rules,” Shisve said.

Meanwhile, Nationalist Congress Party’s associate MLA of Shirala, Mansingrao Naik, said the farmers were unaware about the narcotics being used to produce opium and its cultivation was done purely for deriving Khas Khas.

“Why didn’t the government officers and the police inform the farmers about its legal status?” he asked.

While Shetkari Sanghatana leader Sharad Joshi rushed to Shirala to visit the ‘aggrieved’ farmers and their families on Wednesday afternoon, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana’s leader and MP Raju Shetty has planned a meeting with the farmers on Thursday.

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