Madurai women held for peddling ganja on train

CHENNAI: Two women from Madurai, who were peddling ganja on a suburban train, were nabbed on Saturday when they alighted at a station here to board another coach after wrongly entering the first class compartment with second class tickets.The women M Rani (37) and C Selvi (40), employed at a pickle manufacturing unit in Madurai were lured with promise of a high-paid job, which involves carrying of bags between two railway stations.  Attracted by the offer, the women, who landed in Chennai on Saturday morning by bus were asked to reach the Egmore Railway Station and collect seven bags from an accomplice of their ex-colleague, identified as Mary.“They were commuting for Perungalathur. Squatting near the entrance of I class compartment, the women were alerted by co-passengers to move to the ladies compartment, since the duo was possessing second class tickets,” a source said.When the peddlers alighted at Mambalam station for change over to another compartment with heavy bags around 10.30 am, the RPF personnel at the station stopped them.  “The huge bags sparked off doubts. We were shocked to find ganja leaves, after opening the bags for checking,” an official said. On directions of S R Gandhi Senior Divisional Security Commissioner, Chennai Division, RPF Sub Inspector S Maharajan arrested the peddlers, seizing 65 kg of ganja leaves worth of Rs. 3 lakh in the market.Asked whether the women were innocent, an official claimed that the women were aware of the contraband hidden in the bag. Later, they were handed over to the NCB authorities for investigations.