Law enforcement authorities in Manipur's Churachandpur district have issued a stern warning against illegal poppy cultivation, demanding that local leadership and citizens cease all involvement in illicit farming immediately. Through an official release on Thursday, the district police reached out to village chiefs, headmen, chairpersons, secretaries, and general residents, directing them to stay completely away from the unauthorized sowing and harvesting of poppy crops. The administration made it clear that anyone engaging in these prohibited activities will face swift prosecution and formal arrest under existing legal frameworks.
Threat of Property Confiscation and Crop Destruction
The district police specifically cautioned that offenders risk having their personal assets, land, and properties attached and forfeited by the authorities. Addressing the illicit plantations directly, the official statement noted that unauthorized crops are liable to immediate seizure and destruction on site. Community members have been instructed to act as vigilant eyes on the ground and report any ongoing cultivation to their nearest police station, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) outpost, or district administrative officials. The unauthorized growth of poppy remains a major punishable violation governed by the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.
Suspected Militants Torch Abandoned Homes in Kangpokpi
In a separate and concerning incident in Kangpokpi district, suspected militants set blaze to several abandoned wooden dwellings belonging to members of the Kuki community on Wednesday afternoon. Official accounts confirmed that the incident occurred around 2 pm in the Kalenjang area. Prior to setting the wooden residential structures on fire, the perpetrators discharged multiple rounds of gunfire into the open air.
Heightened Tensions and Extent of Damage
The sounds of gunfire were heard by residents residing in adjacent settlements, triggering acute anxieties regarding the possible reigniting of local unrest and clashes. An official tally of the total structures consumed by the fire has not yet been definitively determined, though local villagers stated that no fewer than three residences were completely destroyed. Authorities have not yet identified the individuals behind the shooting and arson, nor have they established the underlying motive behind the destructive act.
