Accused hurl contraband over prison wall
Mapusa: Colvale police have arrested three persons – Gautam Talwar (24), Samuel Pujari (24), both residents of Ansabhat in Mapusa, and Jaffer Mulla (24) of Khorlim in Mapusa –and detained a minor boy for allegedly attempting to smuggle ganja into the Central Jail at Colvale by throwing balls of the contraband over the prison wall.
Police said the ganja, weighing 1.397 kg and valued at Rs 1.4 lakh, was recovered after sentry police constable Prashant Naik, while on duty at the watchtower, noticed seven brown balls lying in the passage between the inner and outer cordon walls near watchtower numbers 3 and 4. The incident occurred in the early hours of June 14.
Upon inspection, the balls were found to contain a dried greenish leafy and flowery substance with fruiting tops, suspected to be ganja. The jail’s deputy superintendent subsequently lodged a formal complaint with the Colvale police on June 15.
Police registered the case under Section 20(b)(ii)(B) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and launched an investigation.
Footage of the closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed at the jail and on the neighbouring premises helped the police zero in on the four persons.
The three adult accused were placed under arrest, while the minor was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB). The Board handed over the minor to his parents with instructions to present him before the JJB at Merces on June 26.
Colvale police are continuing further investigations into the case.
