Unanswered Riddles : Have the smugglers turned Ghosts?

Seram Neken *

Biggest drug haul at Pallel, Manipur on 24 February 2013 :: Pix - Gyanand Naorem

On the one hand, some powerful people are constantly endeavoring to bring about social development and emotional integrity among the various sections residing in Manipur with all available means. They are utilizing all their energy and intellect in constructing a self-sufficient and dignified existence through quality education, sports, art and culture, so on and so forth.

On the other hand, a few powerful people are in the process of destructing the society for their selfish ends. Undoubtedly, there is no greater sin than involving in drug trafficking, as it spoils the whole generation of future pillars of a nation. The notorious business of some powerful people is trying to malign the image of the whole genre of people-in-power. Such social culprits should be wiped out of the society forever.

Illegal Drug Trafficking has severely soared in Manipur in the recent past. The trend of drugs business has also changed in type and quantum. Earlier, trafficking through Manipur was only one way – from the Golden Triangle to the rest of the world. Nowadays, drugs of various types pass to and fro on Manipur roads – from other Indian states to the Golden Triangle and vice-versa.

Hence, Manipur becomes the unfortunate victim of such two-way drug trafficking and its youths have the tastes of various kinds of abusive materials. Abusing substances right from the costly Heroine powder to the cheapest substances in the form of tablets are easily available in Manipur. The school going youths are the easiest victims of abuse.

Even though the parents, teachers, social activists, security personnel etc. are responsible for this menace, we need to put the larger blame on the drug traffickers who have made available such highly destructive substances.

Drugs smuggling has been the most profitable business of the powerful people. Everywhere, there is high probability of people in electoral politics indulging in drugs trade, as they need huge money for elections. Election and drugs trafficking are highly inter-connected concepts in the present trend of electoral politics.

Whenever money continues to play a big role in elections, smuggling of all types will remain in the society. Politics-drugs nexus is the hardest element to impair, as illegal drug business involves power. Manipur being a border state turns out to be a convenient earning route and drugs of all types have become earning avenue of powerful people.

Some anti-social people earn huge profit from drug smuggling and even spend their hard earned money in politics so as to disable obstacles in their business.

While some truly sincere politicians are in the process of constructing a future society by all their energies and intellect, some others are spoiling the society for selfish ends. Involvement of the son of a reputed politician and an Army Officer is ample proof that there is a high level nexus of powerful people in the drug business.

Involvement of more and more powerful people may be uncovered, if the investigations are conducted independently, sincerely and effectively. Let not the act of a culprit malign the whole genre of politicians and the whole breed of Indian Army.

Its amazing that Manipur Government is unable to trace the owner of a huge drug seized from Imphal Airport on 11 January last. That the consignment has been seized, but the owner remains unidentified is a mystery. It is as if the drug smugglers have turned ghosts. It may well be presumed that either the police department is doing nothing or it has been restrained to do its job.

Otherwise, the owners of the seized drugs would have been arrested on time. Interestingly, the Officer in Charge who netted the drugs was transferred and the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of Police department was abolished on the very day of the haul. Now, the case has been handed over to CBI.

The state Home department, if it sincerely acts, is quite fit to handle the case and find out the smugglers, as the consignment has already been netted. Let not the drugs haul cases become unanswered riddles to the public. Let not the smugglers turned ghosts.

VOICE OF THE WEEK

Rampant trafficking could not be done without involvement of powerful people of the state. Recent uncovering of involvement of an Army Officer and a son of a reputed politician is ample proof of high level nexus in drug-trade. It is time for the government to award exemplary punishment to such drug-lords in order to put an abrupt halt to the ongoing social destruction process.