The police launched a search operation on illegal poppy cultivation in Assam’s Goalpara district. The investigation ended with 150 bighas of illegal poppy-cultivated land being destroyed by the police authorities.
“The first drive was conducted in the Sialmari area on January 23-24, and the second one took place at Chitalmari on January 30-31. The poppy cultivation was found along with other crops and vegetables near the river” said the superintendent of police (SP) of Goalpara, Nabaneet Mahanta.
Assam’s Fight Against Poppy
This is part of an operation launched by the Assam police against drug cultivation across the state, a few years back. The operation was launched under the leadership of former director general of police, DGP Gyanendra Pratap Singh.
Responding to the incident of illegal cultivation, the Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma wrote on the social media platform X, “The local Pablo Escobars, sorry to spoil your planned Udta Assam party! because the Police destroyed 170 Bighas of poppy cultivation in the Char areas worth ₹27.20 crore in January. So next time you think of drugs, think of the Assam Police.”
The chief minister also shared a video of the police operation, destroying the poppy along with the background score from the Bollywood movie, Udta Punjab.
