Man, wife grow ganja on govt land, arrested

Erode: A 32-year-old man and his wife were arrested on Tuesday for cultivating ganja plants near Gobichettipalayam in Erode district.
The Bungalowpudur police received a tip that a farmer, S Ramesh Kumar, of Perumpallam dam area, was cultivating ganja plants on government land in the dam water spread area.
When the police reached the spot, they found ganja crops grown between sorghum crops.
A police officer said farmers in the village use dry space of the water spread area for cultivating crops whenever the water level in the dam was low. “The government allowed farmers to cultivate short term crops. The accused and his wife, R Vedachi, 29, were growing ganja crops on the government land for nearly three months,” the officer said.
Preliminary inquiry revealed that a 45-year-old woman Putri alias Karuppathal of Erode had supplied ganja seeds to Ramesh Kumar.
“As she managed to escape from her house, we have launched a search for her,” the police officer added.
Police have also seized Rs 2.56 lakh from the couple.
A case was registered and further inquiry is on.