3 village chiefs, 1 VC and 1 vilage secy held in crackdown on poppy plantation
More teeth given to War on Drugs drive
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 30 2022: At least three village chiefs and a vice chairman and one secretary of Selsi village have been arrested by district police for their alleged involvement in poppy plantation.

According to well placed source, the arrested village chiefs have been identified as Kamkhosei Haokip (chief of Thinghangjang village, Churachandpur), Letkholal Khongsai (chief of D Lang-jhol village, Churachand- pur) and Paojamang Haokip (chief of Monglham village, Kangpokpi) while the vice chairman and secretary of Selsi village have been identified as Henkholun Kipgen alias Helun and Paokhomang Kipgen alias David respectively.

It is reported that a combined team of Churachandpur district administration and police along with IRB personnel destroyed poppy cultivation (15 acres) at D Lhangjol village, Churachandpur, today and seized 10 matured stems of poppy with pods and about 40 kgs of fertilizers as evidence.

The team also arrested the chief of the village Letkholal Khongsai (47), s/o Jamkholet Khongsai later in the day.

3 village chiefs, 1 VC and 1 vilage secy held in crackdown on poppy plantation

A similar drive was also carried out today at Hengshi area under Chandel and poppies planted on 35 acres of land were destroyed.

Today, another team Imphal East police assisted by NAB, Forest and BSF personnel conducted a poppy destruction drive at Monglham hill range, Kangpokpi and destroyed poppy plants grown in an area of land measuring about 40 acres, said the source and added that chief of Monglham village Paojamang Haokip (56), s/o (L) Khaikholet Haokip was arrested from Checkon Tribal Market.

Reportedly, a combined team of Kangpokpi police, MR, IRB & NAB conducted a massive poppy destruction drive in an area measuring about 30 acres on the western hill range of Selsi village under Kangpokpi on December 23 last while another 25 acres of poppy plantation were destroyed in the same village today.

In the drive, seven huts which stored materials used in poppy cultivation including fertilizers, salt packets, herbicides, etc., were burnt along with the materials.

On the same day (December 23), Kangpokpi police teams along with NAB, Forest Assam Rifles personnel destroyed about 10 acres of poppy cultivation in Molkon and Phulaijang hill range under Saikul, Kangpokpi while the district police arrested two accused Paokhomang Kipgen @ David (41), s/o (L) Jangkhohao Kipgen, of Selsi village (secretary of Selsi village) and Henkholun Kipgen @ Helun (62), s/o (L) Khohem Kipgen of Selsi village, Kangpokpi (vice - chairman of Selsi village) for planting poppies the next day (December 24) .

In December 2022, a combined team of Ukhrul Police, 6th MR, NAB and Forest Department carried out poppy destruction drives at different areas during which the team destroyed poppies planted at more than 20 acres of land at Ringui (Tungou) Hill Range, another 20 acres at Champhung Hill Range, 40 acres at Champhung -Tora Hill Range.

The source said that efforts are on to identify the farmers and landowners involved in the poppy plantation.

On December 23, Churachandpur police and 1st IRB destroyed poppy plantation (65 acres) in the forest area of Thinghangjang village, Churachandpur and later arrested the chief of the village namely, Kamkhosei Haokip (48), s/o (L) Otjathang Haokip of Songpi (AP) .

A team of Imphal East police and NAB along with Forest and BSF personnel also conducted a poppy destruction drive at NP Khullen and B Gamnom hill range and destroyed about 30 acres of poppy cultivation in the area on December 26 last.

The source said that legal action will be initiated against all the accused arrested.