The 2nd Pallel Drug Haul-3 : Public reaction & Police recruitment
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: May 03, 2013 -

Even if the latest incident of drug seizure from the vehicles of an 11-member team of Manipur Police Commandos led by two police officers at Pallel while they were heading to Moreh on April 28 last has drawn the focus of the people once again to the involvement of men in uniform in drug crimes in Manipur, the existence of a strong nexus between the security personnel, the political class and the drug mafias contributing to the problem of drug menace in the State was something known yet ‘unspoken’ for the last many years.

Apart from the ‘achievements’ of the police in arresting some petty drug peddlers whose names were unfailingly revealed and were paraded before media along with the seized items, the State administration and the Police Department in particular has always maintained that the identity of the drug smugglers could not be established if the quantity of the drugs seized is something that a petty drug dealer could not have even imagined in his/her wildest dreams.

So, this peculiar ‘inability’ of the State administration to find out and disclose the identity of the real ‘owners’ of the huge drug consignments seized either from the Airport on January 11 last or from a truck at Mantripukhri on February 15 last, has been questioned and denounced by the people, who, for long have suspected of the ‘unspoken’ nexus but did not dare to say anything openly against it.

But the last two cases of drug seizures at Pallel by Thoubal Police Commandos, first from an Army Colonel and his team on February 24 last and the latest one from the Manipur Police Commando team, have not only confirmed the public suspicion but also given them their lost voice.

However, the reaction of the public and more particularly the role of the civil society organizations (CSOs), which are supposedly taking up the cudgel to fight against the menace of drugs in the society, need to be understood as well.

It’s true that we have seen endless round of sit-in-protest, protest rally and public meetings over the issue of drug in the past. But such protest demonstrations, rallies or meetings fizzle out after some sound and fury, not because the issue has been resolved or the masks from the faces of the elusive drug kingpins have been successfully removed.

It is just that there are too many issues in Manipur and most CSOs feel it is their bounden duty to involve in all of them.

Alertness over the myriad issues plaguing the State and its people may be good, but what is unfortunate in the process is that they usually left behind an issue before its resolution and jump into another only to come back to the earlier one when a similar issue rears its head.

This is a tragedy which could be best avoided, especially while pursuing an issue like the menace of drug which has gripped the Manipuri society vice-like today.

With involvement of high profile individuals in illegal drug trade, it calls for sustained public movement if we want our State to be free of drug problem.

On the other hand, if the State administration actually wants to keep its security personnel at bay from dipping their hands into any problem, then it could start by ensuring fair selection during the recruitment process. Simply talking tough against corruption would not work at all.

By the way, with recruitment process for 2000 police constables in State Police Department already underway, many paddy fields in different parts of the State are up for sale today. What does that mean?