25 elderly women suspected drug peddlers, say police

The Anti Narcotics Cell (ANC) of the Mumbai police has a list of at least 25 elderly women in the city who either pedal or supply drugs.

The Anti Narcotics Cell (ANC) of the Mumbai police has a list of at least 25 elderly women in the city who either pedal or supply drugs.

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The ANC has kept a close watch on the movements of these ‘aunties’ after the arrest of Gangubai Kshirsagar (70) with 40 kg of ganja from Kurla on Sunday.

According to ANC officers Kshirsagar who has been supplying drugs since the decade, had started it after the death of her husband Bhagwat who was a small time peddler.

“After Bhagwat’s death Kshirsagar took his contacts of suppliers and created her own database at the age of 60 years and became one of the major wholesalers of Ganja in the city. She however continued peddling to treat her ailing son who died after two years,” said an ANC officer who is not authorised to speak to the media.

“Kshirsagar is a seasoned player with superb network among peddlers across the city, she never herself carries the drug out of the place where she stores it. The drug is sold only to drug peddlers known to her who have to go and collect it from the place where she is operating from,” said Mrityunjay Hiremath, senior police inspector of the ANC Bandra unit that arrested Kshirsagar on a tip-off.

Kshirsagar also had all the documents and concession passes required by a senior citizen, which she used to travel small towns on half ticket in ST buses to build her contacts.

“Kshirsagar used to dry the ganja on roof of the temple that she built in Kurla, because that was the least place where one could suspect. Inspite of getting arrested for the second time she has no regrets,” said an ANC officer.

“Now we are trying to get the names of suppliers and peddlers from the database of Kshirsagar to crack down on her network,” the officer added.