War on Drugs falls flat at Kangpokpi? Cops led by Addl SP run away from poppy planters!

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Nov 23: Cited very often by the Government as one of the factors that triggered the ongoing violent conflict, the War On Drugs seems to have lost all teeth in Kangpokpi district.
The Kuki opium poppy planters have become so intimidating that they have the police "running away" with tails between their legs.
Recently, Kangpokpi police and the Makhan (Makhen) village came across a large opium poppy plantation in the latter's area.
Then, a more than 30-personnel strong police team led by Additional Superintendent of Police, Kangpok- pi district, and several Makhan Liangmai Naga volunteers went to the spot to destroy the poppy plantation.
But on reaching the spot, gun wielding Kuki opium poppy planters charged at the police and the volunteers, manhandled them, and destroyed the equipment brought to destroy the poppy.
Without much of a fight, the police "literally ran away" to utter dismay of the volunteers, said Makhan Village Authority, which has now served an ultimatum to the Government to destroy the poppy plantation and arrest the Kuki poppy cartels and individuals involved within four days.
As per the Makhan Village Authority, the incident occurred on November 20 after "some Kuki groups and individuals" who are poppy planters encroached on its land and started cultivating poppy.
After official communication with the Superin- tendent of Police (SP) of Kangpokpi, at 11.30 am of November 20, Makhan village youth volunteers and over 30 police personnel led by Additional SP went on a mission to destroy the poppy plantation. However on the spot, some Kuki poppy planters, wielding guns and other weapons, "rushed devilishly" toward the volun- teers and the police team and destroyed the equipment and hardware brought to cut the poppy plants, said the village authority.
The young Makhan village volunteers had to retreat as the poppy planters brandished guns. They were on this mission, because their assistance was requested by the SP Kangpokpi. They were there to guide the Additional SP Kangpokpi and his team on the difficult, unfamiliar terrain, and support the Manipur Govern- ment's "War on Drugs".
While the Makhan volunteers were anticipating the police to enforce law and act strongly,  the Additional SP and his team literally ran away, said the village authority.
"The Addl SP Kangpokpi and his team literally running away from the hooligans, i.e. the poppy planters, was a complete mockery of their arms and uniform," said the Makhan VA.
The volunteers were left flabbergasted on seeing the police personnel displaying not a single resistance or force upon the violent poppy planters. This "feral and theriomorphic manhandling" of the police and War on Drugs volunteers must be unprecedented in the Manipur Government's fight against poppy cultivation and drugs, it added.
"The Makhan Village, initially, sought a peaceful disposition, believing that those Kuki groups and individuals would conform to the convention of cultured demeanour of transacting conversations and dialogues. We could have ended things by our competence and ability. But our belief in the Government's machinery and agencies was stronger until this very moment," said the Makhan Village Authority.
Asserting that the act of transgression by the Kuki groups and individuals shall not be tolerated, the Makhan VA said it is giving the Government four days to destroy the opium poppy plantation and take action against the Kuki poppy cartel groups and individuals.
"We give the Government a period of 4 (four) days from the release of this press statement to take up a fleet-footed action to destroy the poppy plants from our Makhan Liangmai Naga land and arrest those Kuki poppy cartels and individuals who brandished their arms and weapons to the young volunteers and butchered the equipment," it said.
Failure to meet the deadline will attract democratic agitation that would hinder transport and other services. The Government shall bear responsibility for any untoward incidents that may occur in case it fails to meet the demands, said the Makhan VA.