Palakkad (Keralam) | Police have destroyed around 7,300 cannabis plants found growing in a remote forest area in Attappady here, officials on Friday said.

The plants were found in a difficult-to-access forest area between Ponnakkal Mala and Ankanyan Chola in Pudur panchayat during a joint search conducted by the District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (DANSAF) and a police team led by Agali Sub-Inspector Harshad, following a tip-off about widespread cannabis cultivation in the area, officials said.

The police team, which set out at around 4.30 am on Thursday, trekked for hours through steep and difficult terrain to reach the plantations, officials said.

Around 1,600 cannabis plants, about one-and-a-half months old, were found cultivated in 160 specially prepared beds between Ponnakkal Mala and Ankanyan Chola, police said.

Another 5,700 fully grown cannabis plants were found in 475 beds on the eastern side of Ponnakkal Mala, they said.

The cultivators had reportedly stored water from forest streams and installed a drip irrigation system to water the plants.

The cannabis plants were destroyed by setting them on fire at the spot, officials said.

Pudur police have registered two cases and launched a detailed investigation to identify those behind the cannabis cultivation, officials said.

Another large cannabis plantation was detected in Attappady on September 20