A "journalist" was arrested in Jharkhand"s Chatra district on Monday for allegedly clearing forest land to illegally cultivate opium poppy, reported PTI.
Official police sources said that the incident happened in the Rajpur forest area of the district.
The "journalist" along with a few others were clearing forest land with a JCB earthmover to make it ready for opium poppy cultivation, the officials added.
Ranger Suryabhushan Kumar of the Northern Forest Division said that as soon as the information was received on Sunday, the area was raided by a joint team of the Forest Department and the police.
Most of the suspected smugglers managed to flee but police arrested two persons — a father and his son, from the spot, he said.
The son, Mukesh Singh, identified himself as the journalist of a daily newspaper and threatened the forest personnel, he added.
Officials have also seized JCB machine from the forest along with a motorcycle.
Further investigations are underway.