📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Suyash.dwivedi
Crime
Illegal pickup loaded with gutkha seized in Chhatarpur; trader Naval Sahu flees
✍️ Amar Ujala · Madhya Pradesh
🗓 05 Nov 2026, 07:19 PM
👁 12
Traffic police in Chhatarpur seized a pickup loaded with illegal gutkha and pan masala, while trader Naval Sahu and his associates escaped, prompting scrutiny of a food‑safety officer's role.
Traffic police in Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh, seized a pickup truck that was found to be carrying large quantities of gutkha and pan masala, both prohibited under the state's ban on smokeless tobacco products.
The seizure took place during a routine check on a highway near the city. Officers discovered the contraband hidden in the vehicle's cargo area and initiated a standard inspection.
While the police were securing the evidence, a group of individuals identified as the vehicle's operators, led by a trader named Naval Sahu, fled the scene before they could be apprehended. The police have registered a case of illegal possession and evasion.
The incident has sparked criticism of the local food safety officer who had previously authorized the transport of such items, raising questions about procedural lapses and possible collusion. An investigation into the officer's role is underway.
The seizure took place during a routine check on a highway near the city. Officers discovered the contraband hidden in the vehicle's cargo area and initiated a standard inspection.
While the police were securing the evidence, a group of individuals identified as the vehicle's operators, led by a trader named Naval Sahu, fled the scene before they could be apprehended. The police have registered a case of illegal possession and evasion.
The incident has sparked criticism of the local food safety officer who had previously authorized the transport of such items, raising questions about procedural lapses and possible collusion. An investigation into the officer's role is underway.