Agartala, 9th April 2026: Tripura Police arrested a notorious smuggler and seized 32 kg of dried cannabis (ganja) yesterday evening near Kalibari under Kathalia Gram Panchayat. The accused Rubel Hossain (25) of Bashpukur was intercepted while allegedly transporting the contraband in a black Baleno car bearing registration number TR01AS-7809. The operation was led by the newly appointed OC Partha Nath Bhowmik, with assistance from personnel of the Tripura State Rifles (TSR).
Police sources informed, OC Bhowmik had taken charge of the Jatrapur Police Station only a day earlier. Acting on a secret tip-off about a consignment of narcotics being moved towards the border, a joint team of police and TSR personnel set up an ambush along the Kathalia–Thalibari road near Kalibari yesterday evening.
At around 7:30 PM, the suspicious vehicle arrived at the spot and was immediately intercepted by the police team. During a search of the car, officers recovered two sacks containing 32 kg of dried cannabis (ganja), after which the driver was arrested on the spot.
Speaking to media personnel here today, OC Bhowmik said that during preliminary interrogation, the accused admitted that the consignment was meant for cross-border smuggling. Police have registered a case under the NDPS Act and produced the accused before the court, seeking police remand for further investigation.
Local residents have praised the police for their efficiency, noting that the successful raid occurred immediately following the change in station leadership. The vehicle used in the crime has also been impounded, and police are continuing their probe to uncover possible links to a larger drug smuggling network.
