In a significant blow to the narcotics trade and militant activities, a coordinated security operation in Manipur on Wednesday resulted in the eradication of extensive illegal poppy fields and the arrest of a key insurgent recruiter. The dual crackdown highlights the ongoing challenges in the state's hill districts.
Major Anti-Narcotics Operation in Kangpokpi
A combined force comprising the Manipur Police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), state forest department, and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) launched a targeted mission against illegal poppy farming. The operation focused on the remote hill ranges of Moljol, Tusam, Vaichei-Naphai, and surrounding areas within Kangpokpi district.
The security teams successfully destroyed a total of 53 acres of poppy cultivation. To dismantle the infrastructure supporting this illegal activity, they also burnt down seven huts used by the cultivators as shelters and storage. A large cache of farming materials was seized and destroyed on-site.
Equipment and Materials Seized
The items destroyed during the anti-poppy drive included:
- 11 bags of chemical fertilisers
- 23 bottles of herbicides
- 14 bags of salt
- Spray pumps, irrigation pipes, and various cultivation tools
This comprehensive action aims to cripple the operational capacity of the drug cultivators in the region for the coming season.
Simultaneous Crackdown on Militant Recruitment
In a separate but equally critical operation on the same day, Manipur Police arrested an active cadre of the banned Kangleipak Communist Party-MFL (KCP-MFL). The individual has been identified as Phamdom Dinesh Singh (37), who also used the aliases Wangba and Thembung. He was apprehended from his locality in Imphal West district.
According to police sources, Singh was actively involved in recruiting young people for the outlawed militant organisation. In a related raid, police rescued four individuals who had been confined in a rented house at Langjing. These victims were reportedly being forcibly prepared for recruitment into the banned group.
From the arrested cadre's possession, authorities recovered one mobile handset and one motorcycle without a registration number. These items are believed to have been used in his recruitment activities.
Implications and Ongoing Efforts
These back-to-back operations underscore the twin threats of drug cultivation and militant insurgency that plague parts of Manipur. The destruction of poppy fields directly attacks a major source of funding for illicit activities. Simultaneously, arresting recruiters like Singh disrupts the pipeline of new members for extremist groups, potentially saving youths from being drawn into violence.
The successful joint operation demonstrates improved coordination among state police, central paramilitary forces, and national agencies. It signals a continued and intensified focus on restoring law and order in the sensitive hill districts of the state.
