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Indian priest arrested for cultivating marijuana worth Rs7 million within temple
According to Telangana police, the priest cultivated cannabis within the temple garden, where he also had marigold plants that looked and smelled like cannabis
- PUBLISHED: Mon 9 Feb 2026, 1:35 PM
A priest in a temple in Telangana state was recently arrested after the police raided his complex and found ‘ganja’ (cannabis plant) being raised there. Avuti Nagaiah, 48, is a priest at the temple in Panchagam village in the state.
The police told India TV that Nagaiah used the garden as a cover for illegal cultivation of the cannabis. He also had marigold plants, which look and smell like cannabis in the complex.
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During the raid, the police and excise officials uncovered illegal cultivation inside the premises. They seized nearly 700 cannabis plants and drugs valued at Rs7 million (Dh285,000).
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The local villagers were shocked after the raid when they realised the priest had cleverly hidden his nefarious activities all these years. The officials are now probing his entire operation and trying to arrest others connected with him.
Police in the southern Indian state also arrested three individuals and seized over 16 kgs of ‘ganja’ in and around Hyderabad, the state capital, earlier this month.
