Rajkot: The Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of the Rajkot Zone arrested three persons, including a mother-son duo, and seized 51.5 kg of poppy husk worth Rs 7.72 lakh near Than railway station in Surendranagar district on Saturday.Based on a complaint filed by ANTF Rajkot Zone police inspector J J Chauhan, Than police registered an offence under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act against Rahul Pargi, 21, his mother Pushpa Pargi, 45, Khima Sapra, 65, Rahul’s father Dalsing Pargi, and two other accused identified as Som and Vinu.According to the complaint, the ANTF received specific intelligence that Dalsing, a resident of Jhabua district in Madhya Pradesh, allegedly arranged for a consignment of poppy husk to be transported through his wife and son to a man named Somabhai in Than. The duo was reportedly travelling on the Jabalpur-Veraval Express to deliver the contraband.Acting on the tip-off, ANTF personnel kept watch near Than railway station and intercepted suspicious individuals. During questioning, the suspects identified themselves as Rahul and Pushpa Pargi. A search of a bag carried by Rahul led to the recovery of a dry plant-based substance suspected to be poppy husk. A forensic science laboratory team was called to verify the substance.Investigators said Pushpa disclosed that she was in contact with Somabhai on the phone. During interrogation, Khima allegedly stated that Somabhai instructed him to collect the consignment from Rahul and transport it further. He also told police that another accused, Vinu, went to arrange a van for transportation.Preliminary investigation revealed that Khima was a resident of Gundala village in Morbi district’s Wankaner taluka. Further investigation into the case was handed over to PI D R Baraiya.
