Narcotic substance worth Rs 1.5 lakh seized, two held

Sources said police personnel were regulating the traffic at Anaikarai Kollidam bridge near Kumbakonam, when they flagged down an Innova car. 

Despite police asking the car driver to stop, the vehicle sped away. A police team immediately chased the car and intercepted it. The police conducted an inquiry with the two occupants in the car.

Since the duo, identified as Jithu Patel (21) and Narasingha (34), both from Bengaluru, gave contradictory response, the police searched the vehicle. 

They found gutkha, pan masala and other narcotic substances in it. Subsequently, the two persons were handed over to the Thirupananthal police station where DSP Ramachandran interrogated them.

The duo then confessed that they were smuggling the banned narcotic items from Maharashtra via Bengaluru with a plan to sell them in Thanjavur.

Jithu Patel and Narasingha were then arrested, while the narcotic substances and the car was seized. Further investigations are on.