Locals unearth huge number of betel leaves
Source: The Sangai Express

Thoubal, May 19 2020: As many as 200 baskets of betel leaves were found hidden inside the premises of a brick field located at Papal Mamang Leikai, Thoubal district under Khongjom police station this morning.

Apart from unearthing the hidden betel leaves, people of the locality found five non-local people including a driver inside the premises of the brick field who reportedly brought the betel leaves.

People took the betel leaves to a nearby paddy fields where the betel leaves were sprayed with pesticide, salt and oil before setting them afire.

Locals unearth huge number of betel leaves

In the meantime, a team of Khongjom police arrived at the scene.

Saying that they would register a case and take up necessary legal action, the police team urged the crowd not to burn the betel leaves.

This resulted in a minor stand-off between the crowd and the police team.

Later, Thoubal SP Dr S Ibomcha accompanied by two Additional SPs and Thoubal SDPO arrived at the spot and they searched a house located inside the premises of the brick field and another basket of betel leaves was found hidden inside the house.

In addition to taking the huge quantity of betel leaves into their custody, police also seized one Tata truck and a Toyota Fortuner with flag post but without registration number which allegedly belongs to the proprietor of the brick field.

A member of the local club alleged that the brick field where the huge quantity of betel leaves were found hidden belongs to one Kangabam Jadumani of Charangpat who also happens to be the president of the Dalit wing of Lok Janshakti Party, Manipur.

Driven by a suspicion that many illegal items are being hoarded inside the brick field, the Khongjom Circle COVID-19 Relief Committee and 11 local clubs of Khongjom Circle searched the premises of the brick field today and they came across a huge cache of betel leaves.

A large number of cartons containing tomato, sacks of lady's finger and Kabok Muri which are suspected to have been used in concealing the betel leaves were also found inside the brick field.

One Meira Paibi activist said that all the people working in the brick field should be tested for COVID-19 as many non-Manipuris whose credentials are not known have been found inside the brick field.

Kangabam Jadumani too came to the brick field and denied having any knowledge of hiding such a huge quantity of betel leaves inside the brick field.

He said that one of his younger brothers told him yesterday that he (the younger brother) would like to store certain edible items temporarily inside the brick field.