Udaipur: Narcotics smugglers fired up to 15 rounds at police chasing them in Dhariyawad area of Pratapgarh district Monday, before abandoning their vehicle with opium husk worth over Rs 1 crore about 10 km ahead in a forested area and fleeing, Pratapgarh SP B Aditya said.Aditya said the district special team (DST) received information of a suspicious pickup vehicle heading towards Dhariyawad. Dhariyawad SHO Hazarilal and DST in-charge Pratap Singh’s team set up a blockade at Pachaguda. Around 4am Monday, the vehicle was spotted with two men in it. When signalled to stop, one of the men brandished a pistol, broke through the blockade, and sped towards Aarampura jungle. The police team gave chase, at which the men fired up to 15 rounds at them. When police opened retaliatory fire, they abandoned the vehicle and fled.Upon searching the pickup, police recovered over 762 kg of opium poppy husk in 38 sacks along with 1 live cartridge. Police said the estimated value of the opium was over Rs 1 crore. Dhariyawad police have registered a case and a search for the smugglers is underway.
