Mancherial: Three farmers were arrested for selling spurious cotton seed in Thandur mandal centre and 75 kg of seed and a vehicle were seized. The value of the seeds was assessed to be Rs 1.50 lakh.
Thandur Inspector Kota Babu Rao said that the accused were Boddula Tirupati, a resident of Choutepalli and Koppula Shankar, a native of Kothapalli and Gudimalla Chandraiah belonging to Kondapu Yapa village in Kasipet mandal. Another accused Pedamalla Raju of Karimnagar is still at large.
The three farmers were moving suspiciously carrying the bags of the seeds when police were carrying out patrolling in Madaram. A case was registered against the trio and investigations were taken up. Stringent action would be taken against the traders of spurious cotton seeds, Babu Rao warned.
Five traders arrested in Adilabad
Adilabad: Five licensed traders of tomato seeds were arrested for allegedly selling banned spurious cotton seeds in different parts of Echoda and Gudihathnoor mandal centres on Thursday. As many as 3,135 packets containing the seeds were recovered from them. The value of the seeds was assessed to be over Rs 24 lakh.
Disclosing the details of the cases in Echoda mandal centre, Utnoor DSP N Uday Reddy said that the accused traders were Gangishetti Santosh of Vasavi Traders, Mohammad Faruq belonging to Sahara Agro Agency and Katturi Rupes, the owner of Ranjith Traders, all belonging to Echoda mandal headquarters, and Bornepalli Ravinder Rao of Sri Sai Krishna Agros and Belpare Ganapathi belonging to Shiva Sai Agri Services located in Gudihathnoor mandal centre.
The five traders were found to have stocked prohibited cotton seeds when police of Echoda, Gudihathnoor and authorities of Agriculture department jointly conducted simultaneous raids on the outlets, following a tip. The cost of seized seeds was computed to be Rs 24.05 lakh. A case was booked against the five traders and investigations were taken up, Uday Reddy stated.
The DSP further said that vigilance was stepped up on trading of spurious cotton seeds in the district by forming special task force teams and by conducting surprise raids.
Echoda Inspector K Ravinder, Sub-Inspector Shaik Fareed and Agriculture Officer B Mahender were present.