Manipur: Four poppy cultivators arrested in Ukhrul

Imphal: Manipur Police along with central forces and the forest department intensified operations against illegal opium cultivation with the arrest of four persons along with a gun and weapons.

The operations were conducted in the northern and northwestern parts of the state sharing borders with Nagaland and Myanmar during the past 48 hours, official reports said.

A total of 39.76 acres of illegal opium cultivation were destroyed.

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The joint team during an operation in Khamason range, Ukhrul District of Manipur with Myanmar on the east, arrested four persons who were allegedly indulging in illegal poppy cultivation in the area.

About 30 acres of the poppy plantation were detected and later destroyed.

The arrested persons were identified as Peimi Ramsak (27), Lightson Shimrah (49), Kapangkhui Khashim and Yatei SV (22).

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One air gun and two knives were recovered from their possession.

The joint team in the presence of an Executive Magistrate conducted yet another poppy destruction drive in which one acre of poppy plantation was destroyed at Mao Pungdong under Mao-PS of the Senapati district bordering Nagaland.

Further necessary action against the village chairman of the area has been initiated.

The team also destroyed 8.76 acres of poppy fields in the Makuilongdi and Thonglang Atongba hill ranges in Kangpokpi district on December 5. The poppy plants, in the early flowering stage, were destroyed, and a case has been registered for further investigation.