Jharkhand police, as per a report from the state CID headquarters, have successfully eliminated illegal opium cultivation spanning 4,619.34 acres during the fiscal year 2025-26. This crackdown led to 77 cases being registered and the arrest of 48 individuals involved in the illicit trade. The most extensive operation occurred in Chatra district, where over 2,742.22 acres of opium crops were destroyed.
In addition to Chatra, significant eradication efforts were carried out in Latehar (832.14 acres), Hazaribagh (393 acres), Palamu (314.62 acres), and Khunti (215.71 acres). Further interventions targeted illegal opium cultivation 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).
Moreover, in Latehar, authorities also dismantled two illegal cannabis plantations. Notably, Chatra recorded the highest number of opium cultivation-related FIRs at 21, with arrests made in various districts including Latehar, Khunti, Hazaribagh, Ranchi, West Singhbhum, Seraikela-Kharsawan, Simdega, Lohardaga, Koderma, and Deoghar. The data from CID indicates a substantial reduction in illegal opium cultivation compared to the previous year, with a decrease of nearly 22,400 acres within a year.
The report highlights a significant decline in illegal opium cultivation in Jharkhand from the previous years, emphasizing a concentrated presence in districts like Chatra, Khunti, Latehar, Ranchi, Palamu, West Singhbhum, Seraikela-Kharsawan, and Hazaribagh.
