IMPHAL: The Centre will deploy combat aircrafts of the Indian Air Force (IAF) to bomb and destroy poppy fields in Manipur.

This was stated by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), TOI reported.

According to the report, COCOMI – an Imphal-based umbrella organisation of different Meitei groups in Manipur stated that this was assured by defence minister Rajnath Singh.

The COCOMI said that defence minister Rajnath Singh assured that if the Manipur government approaches the Centre for bombing poppy fields, the IAF will deploy its combat planes.

COCOMI stated that “the requirement of immediate attention was requested from the defence minister”, TOI reported.

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“He was also requested for the destruction of poppies with aircraft of the IAF. The defence minister gave assurance that it will be done if government of Manipur approaches the union government,” COCOMI was quoted as saying in the report.

It added that representatives of the Delhi Meitei Coordinating Committee (DMCC) recently met Rajnath Singh and apprised him about the “threat to national security by Kuki narco-terrorist”.