58.7 kg of opium seized in Bhandara Peth; NCB confiscates offerings devotedly given to the deity by worshippers.

Devotees traditionally offer money and gold as offerings at Bhandara Peth. However, a rather unusual offering was recently discovered there. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) seized 58.7 kg of opium from the donation box of a temple in Chittorgarh, Rajasthan.

For years, opium farmers from Mandsaur and Neemuch in Rajasthan have been donating opium at the Sanwaliya Seth Temple as an offering, similar to how farmers offer rice and other crops at temples during harvest festivals. However, since opium is not a regular agricultural crop and can be used as a narcotic, authorities had previously prohibited such offerings. In response, devout farmers began secretly placing opium in the temple’s donation box.

The NCB seized this opium, which had been unknowingly received as an offering to the deity.

Opium, also known as black, produces an intoxicating effect similar to cannabis. Though it is primarily cultivated for medicinal use, its production is strictly regulated in India. The temple is located near the Madhya Pradesh-Rajasthan border.