Bhubaneswar, March 23 -- The dense forests of Similipal National Park in Mayurbhanj have hidden many things inside it. However, among many things, nobody had thought to find hectares of opium poppy plantations here.

As per reports, the Excise Department officials raided another opium poppy plantation in the interior areas of the forest and destroyed over 5 lakh plants.

This is the third time in the last two months that a poppy plantation has been found and destroyed by the forest department. It has an approximate market value of around Rs 10 crore. Till now, opium poppy plantations worth Rs 28 crore have been found and destroyed in Similipal.

Speaking about the finding, Mayurbhanj Excise Superintendent Prashant Kumar Kanhar said, "We r...