Ranchi, July 19 (IANS) Jharkhand police destroyed illegal opium cultivation spread across 4,619.34 acres during the financial year of 2025-26, registering 77 cases and arresting 48 people in connection with the illicit trade, according to a report released by the state CID headquarters.
The largest crackdown was carried out in Chatra district, where opium crops cultivated over 2,742.22 acres were destroyed.
This was followed by Latehar (832.14 acres), Hazaribagh (393 acres), Palamu (314.62 acres) and Khunti (215.71 acres).
Illegal opium cultivation was also destroyed in West Singhbhum (52.69 acres), Ranchi (34.50 acres), Seraikela-Kharsawan (24.70 acres), Simdega (3.50 acres), Lohardaga (3.25 acres), Koderma (3 acres) and Deoghar (0.01 acre).
In Latehar, police additionally destroyed two illegal cannabis plantations.
Chatra recorded the highest number of opium cultivation-related FIRs at 21. Other cases were registered in Latehar (11), Khunti (10), Hazaribagh (8), Ranchi (7), West Singhbhum (12), Seraikela-Kharsawan (3), Simdega (2), and one each in Lohardaga, Koderma and Deoghar. Altogether, 48 accused were arrested during the period.
CID data shows a sharp decline in illegal opium cultivation in Jharkhand compared to 2024-25. While authorities had identified and destroyed opium crops spread over 27,015.03 acres last year, the area under illegal cultivation dropped to 4,619.34 acres in 2025-26 — a reduction of nearly 22,400 acres within a year.
In 2024-25, Khunti had reported the highest illegal opium cultivation at 15,246.79 acres, followed by Ranchi (6,843.47 acres), Chatra (1,566.46 acres), West Singhbhum (796.05 acres), Latehar (754 acres), Seraikela-Kharsawan (678.96 acres), Palamu (604.12 acres) and Hazaribagh (525.18 acres). During that year, police had registered 313 cases and arrested 237 people.
According to CID records, authorities destroyed illegal opium crops over 2,871.02 acres in 2021-22, 5,494.10 acres in 2022-23 and 4,853.99 acres in 2023-24.
The report noted that illegal opium cultivation in Jharkhand has largely remained concentrated in the districts of Chatra, Khunti, Latehar, Ranchi, Palamu, West Singhbhum, Seraikela-Kharsawan and Hazaribagh.
–IANS
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