Sambalpur: Major Police Raid Before Sital Sasthi in Sambalpur; Cough Syrup Worth Over Rs. 15 Lakh Seized, 10 Arrested
Sambalpur Police Seize 5,000 Bottles, Arrest 10 People
Sambalpur: In a major breakthrough ahead of the Sital Shasthi festival, Sambalpur police seized 5,011 bottles of cough syrup and arrested 10 individuals. Acting on a specific tip-off, the Town Police conducted a raid in Cheruapada yesterday and confiscated 40 packets of the illegal cough syrup, with an estimated value of over Rs. 15 lakh. During the operation, police also recovered Rs. 16,350 in cash, four mobile phones, and fake packaging materials used for retail distribution of the syrup.
List of Accused
The arrested individuals have been identified as Ashish Kumar Panigrahi (36) from Dhanupali, Eklakh Khan (26) and Jabir Hussain (26) from Batamangalagali, MD Abid (29) from Sunapali, Sunil Kumar Nanda (31) from Kuluthkani, Ranjan Kumar (40) from Farm Road, Rinku Rout (32) from Remed, Biswajit Bag (19) from Kumbharpada, Prakash Chhatar (26) from Danibandh, and Anita Singh (36) from Pilakandeipara. Police registered the case under Case No. 142/25 and have produced all the accused in court.
Criminal Network and Modus Operandi
According to SP Mukesh Bhamu, the accused operated a large network. First, they stored the cough syrup at a secret location. Later, they repackaged it with fake “Corex” labels and sold it in smaller retail packets, mainly during the festival season when local markets are crowded.
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Continuous Surveillance During Festival
Due to Sital Shasthi and the busy festival period, the police have been actively checking key areas and marketplaces. During one such routine inspection, police received a specific tip and successfully conducted the raid.
SP Bhamu stated that the accused had been involved in this illegal trade for a long time. He confirmed that more such raids will continue in the coming days to ensure law and order during the festival.
Families of Accused Protest Arrests
Soon after the arrests, the families of the accused created a dramatic scene outside the SP office, alleging that the police had wrongly arrested innocent people. One woman shouted emotionally, “My son has done nothing wrong!”, “Leave my husband!”, and “If not, arrest us all!” The relatives claimed that their loved ones were simply drinking tea late at night when the police suddenly arrived and took them away. They accused the police of filing a false case and forcibly arresting the men without proper reason. The protest continued for nearly an hour, with angry family members crowding the entrance of the SP office and demanding justice. The families also announced that they would meet the District Collector tomorrow to lodge a formal complaint.
