Jaipur, June 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) In a major breakthrough against interstate narcotics trafficking, the Rajasthan Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) has arrested a fugitive smuggler carrying a reward of Rs 25,000 who had been evading law enforcement for the past seven years by living under a false identity in Kerala.
The accused, Ranjeet Dayma alias Ranjeet Banjara, a resident of Manasa in Madhya Pradesh’s Neemuch district, was arrested under a special operation codenamed Operation Yamlakamali.
The operation was launched following intelligence obtained from Ramesh Banjara, an alleged narcotics trafficker, who was earlier arrested by the ANTF under Operation Madavikadhat.
According to ANTF Inspector General Vikas Kumar, Ranjeet was a close associate and relative of Ramesh Banjara and played a crucial role in the narcotics network's supply chain.
To track him down, ANTF personnel travelled nearly 2,500 kilometres from Rajasthan to Kerala, where the accused had been hiding in remote areas for years.
Investigators said Ranjeet had successfully blended into local communities in Kerala by learning Kannada, Telugu, and Malayalam.
In the Shoranur region, he reportedly spoke Malayalam so fluently that residents believed he was a local, helping him remain undetected despite being wanted in Rajasthan.
Police investigations revealed that while Ramesh Banjara allegedly negotiated narcotics deals, Ranjeet handled transportation and distribution of contraband from safe houses.
In return, he reportedly earned commissions of around Rs 500 per kilogram. For consignments ranging between 100 and 500 kilograms of poppy husk (doda-chura), his earnings allegedly ranged from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh.
While absconding, Ranjeet operated a blanket shop in Vadakkanchery, Kerala. Police said he travelled nearly 150 kilometres daily on a motorcycle to sell blankets, using the business as a cover to conceal his identity.
Investigators suspect he periodically visited Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh to maintain links with the smuggling network before returning to Kerala.
After reaching Shoranur, ANTF personnel conducted reconnaissance while posing as artisans from Rajasthan. They eventually learned that Ranjeet had travelled to the hilly Nelliampathi region to sell blankets. Officers then posed as prospective customers and lured him to their vehicle on the pretext of making a large purchase before taking him into custody.
During preliminary questioning, Ranjeet allegedly admitted to supplying poppy husk across multiple states, including Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
He reportedly told investigators that he was unaware of the number of cases registered against him and did not even know which state’s police force had arrested him.
The accused has been brought to Rajasthan and is being interrogated for further leads on the interstate narcotics network.
Source: IANS
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