Cannabis was flourishing on 2.5 bighas of private land in Mandi; STF destroys over two lakh plants

August 7, 2026

In a major crackdown against illegal cannabis cultivation in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district, the Special Task Force (STF) Kullu destroyed over 200,000 cannabis plants grown on approximately 2.5 bighas of private land.

The operation was carried out near Bung village in the Thachi-Panjai area. An FIR has been registered at the Aut police station against unknown persons under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

On August 6, STF Kullu received a tip-off that individuals were cultivating cannabis on a large scale in the Thachi-Panjai region. Acting on this information, a team led by DSP Hemraj Verma conducted an intensive search operation in the area.

During the search, a flourishing cannabis crop was discovered on about 2.5 *bighas* of private land, spread across five to six terraced fields situated amidst Kayal (blue pine) trees. A physical count at the site revealed the presence of more than 200,000 cannabis plants; subsequently, all the plants were destroyed on the spot.

According to the police, the actual owner of the land where the cannabis was cultivated will be identified following a formal land demarcation process. Legal action will then be taken against the accused in accordance with the law.

The STF stated that under the ongoing campaign against illegal cannabis cultivation, over a million cannabis plants grown on approximately 11 *bighas* of private and government land in Mandi and Kullu districts have been destroyed so far. The department has affirmed that this campaign will continue. DSP Hemraj Verma confirmed the details of the operation.