Manhunt launched for Rajasthan man whose SUV was found with 69 kg Opium, pistol after mishap on Palm Beach Rd

Navi Mumbai: NRI Coastal police launched a manhunt for the SUV driver who crashed into a traffic island at the Nerul traffic signal on Palm Beach Road on Friday, around 4.30 am, and fled the spot, after police found 69 kg of opium worth Rs 70 lakh in five plastic sacks in the vehicle’s boot and a country-made pistol loaded with six bullets on the dashboard.

PI (crime) Bhaskar Kokare of NRI Coastal police station said, “In the damaged SUV with Rajasthan RTO passing, we had found a motor driving licence of one Ganpat Birbal Ram, whose residence address was of Motaniya Nagar, a rural village in Osian tehsil, Jodhpur district, Rajasthan. Hence, from the Jodhpur RTO, we obtained the licence holder’s registered mobile number, and it was also confirmed that the SUV (MG Hector) was registered in the name of Ganpati Birbal Ram. Accordingly, two police teams have been formed to trace the accused. One police team was sent to the Jodhpur address of the SUV owner, Ram, but he had not arrived there. While another police team is tracking his mobile tower location, it is continuously switched off.“

Police said the SUV was heading towards CBD-Belapur when the driver lost control, grazed a scooter and veered off the road before crashing into the traffic island and ramming into the boundary metal railing, damaging two CCTV cameras.

Police said the incident risked the lives of others due to reckless driving and caused damage to public property estimated at around Rs 3 lakh. The country-made pistol found on the SUV’s dashboard was estimated to be worth Rs 90,000, and police said it was illegally procured.

The accused was booked under the Arms Act, along with the NDPS Act and BNS sections, and the Motor Vehicle Act for driving rashly and causing damage to public property, along with the offence of escaping from the accident spot and not reporting to the police.