Unclaimed bags yield 11kg ganja worth ₹5 lakh on Puri–Gandhidham Express

The Special Operations Group (SOG) of Ahmedabad Railway Police on Sunday seized over 11.35kg of ganja from two unclaimed bags discovered inside the Puri–Gandhidham Express, prompting the registration of an NDPS Act case against unidentified persons.

The operation was part of a routine check to prevent narcotics smuggling through long-distance trains arriving from Odisha — a route flagged for frequent trafficking, police officials said.

On the night of November 30, between Maninagar and Ahmedabad railway stations, SOG teams were inspecting Train No. 22974 Puri–Gandhidham Express. Around 3 am, officers found a black college bag and a black handbag with floral designs lying unclaimed on Seat No. 80 of Coach S5.

Police said the team inspected the coach and surrounding compartments but found no passenger claiming the luggage.

Given the suspicion of narcotics, the bags were secured and brought to Platform No. 3, where government-appointed panch witnesses joined the proceedings. The bags were then shifted to the SOG Railway office at Kalupur for examination, as the crowded platform made immediate NDPS procedures impractical.

An FSL officer reached the SOG office around 3.50 am, after which both bags were opened in the presence of the panch witnesses. The first bag contained a large packet wrapped in khaki-coloured tape. Both bags together yielded 11 kg 350 grams of ganja worth ₹5.67 lakh of market value , police said.

Officers stated that the contraband may have been transported from Odisha with the intention of selling it in Gujarat at an estimated price of around ₹50,000 per kg. They believe the carrier abandoned the bags out of fear of being detected during the police checking.

The narcotics were weighed and the process was videographed and recorded on the e-Satya application.

An NDPS Act case has been registered against unknown persons. Further investigation is under way to identify the carrier and the intended recipients.