Smuggler caught after 2,500-km chase:Rajasthan ANTF nabs wanted criminal with ₹25,000 bounty

The Rajasthan Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) has arrested Ranjeet Dayma, a smuggler who had been absconding for seven years and had a bounty of ₹25,000, from Kerala.
To apprehend Dayma, alias Ranjeet Banjara, ANTF personnel conducted an expedition covering approximately 2,500 kilometers from Rajasthan to Kerala in an operation codenamed ‘Yamalkamali’. Vikas Kumar, Inspector General of ANTF, stated, “Recently, during the interrogation of smuggler Ramesh Banjara, who was arrested from Madhya Pradesh under ‘Operation Madavikadhat’, significant information regarding Ranjeet Dayma was obtained. The investigation revealed that both are in-laws. They had been working as partners in the poppy husk smuggling network for about eight years.” According to the investigation, Ramesh Banjara used to finalize smuggling deals, while Dayma handled the arrangement of goods and their safe supply. In return, Ramesh received a commission of ₹500 per kilogram. In large deals, his earnings would reach lakhs of rupees. Changed identity in Kerala According to ANTF, Dayma had been living in the Shoranur region of Kerala for the past seven years. Although he was not educated, he had a good command over Malayalam, Kannada, and Telugu languages. Among the locals, he lived completely as a Malayali, which kept his true identity hidden. The accused had started a business of selling blankets in the Vadakkancherry region of Kerala. Dayma used to load blankets on his motorcycle and sell them in nearby areas, and from time to time, he would go to Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh to operate the smuggling network and then return. Team arrived disguised as Rajasthani artisans Following a tip-off, the ANTF team reached Kerala and conducted local reconnaissance for several days. Team members roamed the area disguised as Rajasthani artisans so that the accused would not suspect anything. During the investigation, it was found that Ranjeet had gone to sell blankets that day in a settlement in the Nilayamathi hills, about 100 kilometers from Shoranur. The team immediately reached there and contacted him pretending to be customers. Police officers, pretending to buy blankets, lured him with a big deal and called him to the vehicle to meet his alleged boss. As soon as Ranjeet reached the vehicle, the team revealed their identity and arrested him. Network spread across several states In preliminary interrogation, the accused confessed that he used to supply doda-chura (poppy husk) in several states including Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. He told the police that he himself did not know how many cases were registered against him in various states. After the arrest, the ANTF team brought the accused from Kerala to Rajasthan. The arrest of this rewarded smuggler, who had been absconding for seven years, is considered a major achievement for the ANTF.