A fruit vendor and his 78-year-old grandmother allegedly turned their home in Fateh Nagar into a retail marijuana outlet, drawing dozens of customers from across Hyderabad every day. The network was busted by the Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) Force, in a joint operation with the Cyberabad and Hyderabad Narcotics police.
Police said the operation was launched after multiple complaints were received on the EAGLE Force’s toll-free helpline, 1908. A special team kept the locality under surveillance and watched as customers began arriving to purchase marijuana.
As many as 31 consumers from different parts of Hyderabad reached the locality during the operation. Of them, 29 tested positive for cannabis consumption. Three were caught carrying packets weighing about 15 grams that police alleged had just been purchased from the elderly woman. In all, 17.8 grams of marijuana and a mobile phone were seized.
The prime accused, Kaliwala Ajay alias Akash, 30, a fruit vendor from Fateh Nagar, was arrested. His grandmother, Chandramma, 78, has been named as a co-accused, and is absconding. Police alleged that she openly sold five-gram packets of marijuana outside her house for ₹500 each while Akash managed the supply.
Investigators said most of the consumers were around 25 years old and admitted to using marijuana for more than two years. Of those apprehended, 11 were children of single parents, while three were orphans.
During questioning, the consumers allegedly identified Fateh Nagar, Nanakramguda and Dhoolpet as major retail hubs for marijuana. Police said the small packets were sold at a rate that translated to nearly ₹1 lakh for every kilogram, making the trade highly profitable.
The accused, the consumers and the seized material were handed over to the Hyderabad Narcotics Police Station, which registered a case under the NDPS Act. Efforts are under way to trace and arrest Chandramma.
Published – July 10, 2026 09:01 pm IST
