Imphal: In a major operation aimed at eradicating the drug menace in Manipur’s Churachandpur district, security forces comprising the Assam Rifles, Manipur Police and Forest Department destroyed illicit poppy plantations, officials said on Wednesday.
The operation was carried out on Tuesday, during which poppy plants at the flowering and pod-bearing stage were uprooted and destroyed. The drive was conducted in the presence of an executive magistrate of Churachandpur district.
The joint team destroyed about 40 acres of illicit poppy cultivation in the Mongken area of the Thangjing hill range under Henglep Sub-Division in Churachandpur district. Police said six poppy pods were seized from the spot as evidence, and two farm huts were also set on fire.
An FIR has been registered in connection with the case, and the seized items have been kept in police custody for further investigation to identify those responsible for the illegal cultivation, officials said.
The Thangjing Hills, located in Churachandpur district, form a significant north–south mountain range along the western boundary of the Imphal Valley. The area is considered sacred by the Meitei community as the abode of the deity Ibudhou Thangjing. At the same time, it remains a sensitive zone due to ethnic tensions, as it lies in a Kuki-dominated region and serves as a buffer between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities, with disputes over pilgrimage rights reflecting ongoing ethnic conflict.