Manipur: 12 acres of poppy field razed to ground in Churachandpur

Imphal: In a renewed effort of the state government's war on drug campaigns, approximately, 12 acres of illicit poppy cultivation have been razed to ground inside a Reserve Forest in Churachandpur district of Manipur bordering Myanmar on the south, officials said.

A combined team of Churachandpur District Police, District Forest Officials of the Churachandpur, and central forces destroyed illicit poppy cultivation in Siden Changpikot area in Dampi Reserve Forest under Sangaikot Police Station in Churachandpur District.

On receiving an intelligence source, the coordinated combined team, during its renewed drives, approximately 12 acres of illicit poppy cultivation were destroyed on Thursday.

An FIR has been registered and efforts are on to identify and book the cultivators. It is worth mentioning that on January 8 and January 15, the joint team also conducted poppy destruction campaigns at Haopi Mollen hill range under Sangaikot-Police Station and destroyed 8.8 acres of poppy plantation.

10 poppy pods were also seized during the drives. The source also added that the authorities concerned have carried out extensive surveys before carrying out the destruction of poppy cultivations.