Guwahati/Imphal:
Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh approached his counterpart in neighboring Assam today, Himanta Biswa Sarma, in a show of assistance to the Assam Police to destroy illegal opium pope cultivation worth more than Rs 27 crore.
In Golpara, Assam, the police destroyed the population plantation of 170 bighas (more than 56 acres) in January, Mr. Sarma said in a post on X on Sunday.
The Assam Chief Minister also uploaded a video, in which a tractor was shown a video running in the popy fields amidst a large police presence.
Mr. Sarma warned “local Pablo Escobers” not to try again. The reference was for the leader of Colombian drug Lord Pablo Escobar and Medalin Cartel, who controlled 80 percent of the international cocaine trade at one point. He was killed in December 1993.
“Dear local Pablo Escobers, forgive to spoil your employed Flying Assam Party. Because Golpara police destroyed the population of 170 bighas in four areas of Rs 27.20 crore in January. So the next time you think about drugs, first think about the Assam Police, “Mr. Sarma said in the post on X.
Dear local Pablo Escobers,
Sorry to spoil your employed Udta Assam Party!
Because @Galpara_Police In January, Crore destroyed 170 bighas of poppy cultivation in four areas of 27.20 crore.
So next time you think about drugs, think @assampolice First.#ASSAMAGAINSTDRGS pic.twitter.com/jpt9ioxskj
– Himant Biswa Sarma (@Himantabiswa) 2 February, 2025
,Flying Assam was an illusion for the 2016 Bollywood film ‘Udta Punjab’, which used to deal with the subject of drug addiction in Punjab.
Responding to Mr. Sarma, the Chief Minister of Manipur said that the two states are standing together to work together to ensure that they are “free from the shadow of drugs”.
“My deep praise for decisive measures taken in Assam, in facing the challenges caused by Popi cultivation under the leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma ji. We are standing together and are firm in our shared goals of future building, where we are standing together. Every youth of every youth Mr. Singh said in the post, “NE (Northeast) is preserved, nurtured, and the opportunity is given to free from the shadow of drugs.
My deep praise for decisive measures taken in Assam under the leadership of Honorable Chief Minister Mr. @Himantabiswa G, in addressing the challenges caused by Poppi cultivation.
We are standing together and firm in our shared goals of future building … https://t.co/g3xl4hyQPF
– N. Biren Singh (@nbirensingh) 2 February, 2025
The Chief Minister of Manipur said that illegal poppy gardens were destroyed in 25 acres in the open hill range of Tangnupal subdivision and today the first information report (FIR) was filed.
The Manipur Valley is experiencing ethnic violence among the Mitei community and more than a dozen different tribes are collectively known as cookie, which are prominent in some mountainous regions of the state. Both communities have been fighting on many issues such as land rights and political representation since May 2023.
The cookie tribes have alleged that the Biren Singh government targeted poor farmers in the hills, who do not have other sources of income and have ignored the role of drug Lords living in the Valley areas of Meteyi-Search. The Manipur government has denied the allegations and no community was excluded in the ‘war on war’ campaign of the state.
A crowd of some 80 people from the cookie tribes faced a security team that went to destroy illegal opium pope cultivation in Kangpokpi district of Manipur and damaged four vehicles on Friday. The incident took place in the Lungjang Hill Range, where the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and police personnel went away.
The first information report has been filed in the case.
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