Assam police destroy 305 quintals of poppy cultivation in Barpeta district

Police in Assam's Barpeta district have had a major victory in the war against drugs as 305 quintals of poppy cultivation and 82,080 poppy plants were destroyed during a raid.

As per police, illegal poppy cultivation in over one bigha of land was found hidden by corn cultivation on all sides located at Bhatnapaity Char under Kachumara Police Station.

Further, a team of Barpeta Police led by the Addl. Superintendent of Police (Crime) Barpeta and Executive Magistrate, Barpeta on February 13, 2024, destroyed 305 quintals of poppy cultivation and 82,080 poppy plants were destroyed as per provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985.  

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Upon receiving this alarming information, a joint team comprising ASP Crime Barpeta Bidyut Bikash Bora Bhuyan and Circle Officer cum Executive Magistrate Rima Kaushik from Chenga Revenue Circle swiftly descended on the site. The team, armed with the authority to act against such offences, took immediate action by destroying the banned opium crop, setting it ablaze.

The discovery has sent shockwaves throughout the district, as the cultivation of banned opium, a key ingredient in prohibited narcotics, was exposed in the remote Nirala Char area of Barpeta.

Barpeta ASP Crime Bidyut Bikash Bora Bhuyan stated, "The land on which the opium crop was cultivated belongs to the government, measuring 1 bigha 4 Katha 10 lecha. A case has been registered under the NDPS Act, and multiple individuals are currently undergoing questioning."

The police investigation is in full swing, with authorities actively pursuing leads to apprehend those responsible for this illicit cultivation.

The incident has raised concerns about the presence of such activities in even the most secluded areas of Barpeta, prompting heightened vigilance in the region.