Sports take centre stage in fight against drug menace in northeast

Drug abuse continues to pose a grave challenge to the youth across the Northeast, prompting authorities and civil society to intensify countermeasures. A Pune-based organisation, WATO Trust, led by Dr Yogita Karache, has launched Project Bramhastra — an initiative that uses sports as a tool to steer young people away from narcotics.

The Assam Rifles, in partnership with the Mizoram Basketball Association (MBA), has joined hands with WATO Trust to roll out the project in Mizoram. According to a press release, the campaign began on October 14 with a basketball talent hunt, attended by officials from the Sports Authority of India. The response was overwhelming, with 94 teams registering — breaking the previous record of 74.

Alongside the matches, participants were briefed on the upcoming “Mizo Territorial Army Recruitment Drive” slated for November 25. The tournament concluded on October 18 at the Rajeev Gandhi Stadium, where Mizoram Governor Gen VK Singh (Retd.) presented cash awards to the winners and runners-up. Outstanding players were also awarded one-year sports scholarships.

The anti-drug campaign gained further momentum when Assam Rifles achieved a major breakthrough in curbing drug trafficking. Acting on intelligence inputs, a joint team of Assam Rifles, Customs Department, and Government Railway Police (GRP) intercepted a cargo train at Jirania Railway Station in West Tripura on October 16.

The operation led to the seizure of 90,000 bottles of Codeine Phosphate and Triprolidine Hydrochloride syrup — substances often misused as narcotics — valued at around Rs 4.5 crore. The contraband was found concealed among other cargo and has been handed over to Customs for further investigation.

Project Bramhastra and the recent crackdown underscore a two-pronged approach — promoting sports as a positive outlet for youth while tightening enforcement against narcotics trafficking across the region.