CHANDIGARH: Authorities in Haryana have uncovered illegal poppy cultivation on university campuses, with 400 poppy plants found at a private university in Rai, Sonepat, leading to the arrest of a gardener. The discovery comes just a day after 140 opium plants were seised from a university campus in Rohtak, raising concerns over the presence of narcotic plants in educational institutions.The crime unit of Sonepet police received a tip-off about opium cultivation at the World University of Design (WUD) and conducted a raid along with officials from the Drugs Control Department and Horticulture Department. During the raid, the authorities discovered that the plants were in active use, as fresh cuts were visible. The police seized around 40 kg of poppy plants, each measuring three to four feet in height.Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Narinder Singh said the arrested gardener, Sant Lal, hailing from Sultanpur district in Uttar Pradesh and had been working at the university for nine years. “Prima facie, it appears that the plants were grown two months ago. We have arrested a gardener, Sant Lal, in this connection and will interrogate him about the involvement of others. He was produced in court, which sent him on a three-day police remand. We will now investigate who else may be involved and whether these plants were being used as a drug,” he said.This incident comes just a day after another case was reported at the Dada Lakhmi Chand State University of Performing and Visual Arts (SUPVA) in Rohtak, where 140 poppy plants were found on campus. The university administration has formed a five-member committee to investigate how the plants were grown and why they were not detected earlier.Sources confirmed that experts from the horticulture department were called in to verify the plants, which were promptly removed by the police to prevent further illegal activities. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered against unknown persons.Authorities are now focusing on tracing the origins of the cultivation and identifying potential links to drug distribution networks in the region.
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