Malkangiri: Tension gripped Odisha’s Malkangiri district after a youth was allegedly picked up by Telangana Police in connection with a ganja trafficking case, with his family claiming he was wrongly detained due to mistaken identity.

According to reports, a case (FIR No. 20/2026) was registered at Chunchupalli Police Station in Bhadradri Kothagudem district of Telangana on February 26, following the seizure of around 408 kg of ganja from a truck. Four persons were arrested in connection with the case.

During the investigation, police stated the contraband had been procured from one Sadhan Sarkar and others. However, in a late-night operation on July 18, a team led by a Sub-Inspector reportedly reached MV-29 village under Kamabeda panchayat in Malkangiri and detained Suman Sarkar.

Family members alleged Suman Sarkar was picked up instead of Sadhan Sarkar due to confusion between two similarly named villages — MV-29 and MPV-29. They pointed out Suman’s name does not appear anywhere in the FIR, raising serious questions over the basis of his detention.

The family further claimed the police failed to properly verify the identity of the accused and mistakenly detained Suman. They have approached senior police officials, including the ACP, seeking justice and clarity in the matter.

The incident has triggered concern in the locality, with residents demanding a fair and transparent investigation.