Soldiers arrested for smuggling opium in Bihar

Gaya: Two soldiers are among three arrested for smuggling opium in Bihar, police officials said. Officials seized seven kilograms of opium in Barachatti area of Gaya district, said Manu Maharaj, Senior Superintendent of Police.

The arrested soldiers, Krishna Ram and Gopilal, natives of Rajasthan, serve at the Indian Army. The third person detained, Lekha Singh Bhokta, is a native of Jharkhand, police said.

Further enquiry into the case revealed involvement of Maoist rebels who make a living out of farming opium in the area.

Poor people whose lands are used for this purpose are exploited in the process, police said. He added that opium from the area gets smuggled into the international market, the value of which runs into millions of rupees.

ANI