Zangmu Dingla, NET Correspondent, Arunachal Pradesh
Home Minister Bamang Felix, together with DGP R.P Upadhyay, addressed the Press on the afternoon of 8th May at Chimpu.
Ever since the end of the Annual SP meeting held in Tawang from 19th to 21st April 2021 where Chief Minister Pema Khandu called upon all to help make the vision of a drug-free Arunachal come true by 2022, the state police and administration have been on a warpath against drugs.
The Home Minister informed that just since April 21st, 86 FIRs have been lodged, leading to 143 arrests, which is up from the 28 FIRs and 53 arrested till the same date last year.
200kg ganja, 1.8kg opium, 1.2kg heroin, and 800g of brown sugar were seized along with cash of 1lakh 23 thousand 8 hundred and 30 rupees. He lamented the fact that the district-wise break-up of the raids shows clearly that the menace of drugs has truly spread across the whole state. He also informed of the alarming trend being seen increasingly, which is the increased involvement of deadly firearms.
The tally includes – 1 unlicensed 7.32 caliber pistol with 7 live rounds, 1 12 bore SBBL ( smooth-bore breech-loading) gun with 18 live rounds, 1 9mm pistol with 6 live rounds, 3 AK live ammunition, and 1 Chinese hand grenade. Also seized were multiple vehicles, mobile phones, and SIM cards used for the trade.
He also referred to the involvement of police and other govt employees either in selling or consumption and reminded them about the state government initiative which asked its employees to come clean till 31st of July. He also informed that 11 police personnel have been arrested since 21st April alone, taking the total to 25 in the last two years. This was a fact lamented by the DGP, who said any police personnel, found involved would face exemplary punishment for doing something which they actually should be stopping others from.
Finishing up, the Home Minister and the DGP both applauded the role that the press, the NGOs and the various local women organisations have played and continue to play to take us closer to a drug-free State. Both also appealed to the society at large for help in what is a very complicated issue and appeared hopeful of success to root out the menace at its roots.
