By BHUBANESHWAR — In a major success for railway security, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Government Railway Police (GRP) joined forces to stop a drug smuggling attempt in Odisha. On Tuesday, January 27, 2026, a routine security check at the Bhubaneshwar Railway Station led to the discovery of a large amount of illegal drugs. This operation was special because it relied on the sharp senses of a trained sniffer dog for the RPF K-9 Squad named Max.
The Role of K-9 Squad
The incident took place while the security teams were conducting their regular inspections of passengers and luggage on the station platforms. During this time, the sniffer dog Max began to behave in a way that alerted the officers to something suspicious near two young men waiting at the station. Following the signal from the canine officer, the RPF team immediately intercepted the two individuals to conduct a more thorough search of their belongings. Inside their bags, the officer found several small packets containing a total of 13 kilograms of ganja, also known as cannabis
Detail of the Arrest
The two individuals caught with the illegal substances were identified as Sahazad Gujjar, who is 24 years old, and Moshin Gujjar, who is 20 years old. Both men are residents of Haryana and were reportedly trying to transport the substances from the Ganjam district of Odisha towards New Delhi and Haryana using the rail network. According to Assistant Sub-Inspector Dasarathi Patra, the men stood out to the officers because their clothing and behaviour seemed unusual for the local area, which prompted the initial inspection.
During the questioning, one of the suspects admitted that they were acting as carriers for someone else. They claimed that an unidentified person in Brahmapur had delivered the bags to them and they were supposed to take the cargo to a contact in Delhi. This confession suggests that the two men may be part of a much larger interstate drug smuggling ring that uses the railway to move illegal substances across state lines.
Commitment to Railway Safety
The Railway Protection Force has stated that these kinds of surprise checks are part of an ongoing mission called “Operation Narcos,” which aims to keep the Indian Railways free from drug trafficking. By using highly trained dogs like Max, the RPF is able to detect hidden narcotics that might otherwise be missed by human eyes during a crowded station rush. The authorities have seized the 13 kilograms of ganja and handed over the two accused men to the police for further legal action under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
This successful bust serves as a reminder of the constant vigilance maintained by the railway police to ensure the safety of all passengers. Officials have encouraged travellers to remain alert and report any suspicious bags or people to RPF or through the official Rail Madad helpline.
RPF and GRP officials seized 13 kg of ganja at Bhubaneswar Railway Station after a K-9 squad dog alerted authorities during a routine inspection. Two suspects from Haryana were arrested under the NDPS Act. The operation, part of “Operation Narcos,” highlights Indian Railways’ intensified efforts to curb drug trafficking through enhanced surveillance and canine-assisted security checks.
