DIPHU: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said the myriad militant groups in the Northeast were involved in the proliferation of drugs.
“Many insurgent groups utilise our innocent boys by drawing them to drug addiction. The ULFA (United Liberation Front of Assam) is not on the list. Drug-peddling is affecting our society, encouraging militancy and destroying the social fabric of our state,” Sarma said in Diphu in Karbi Anglong district before taking part in a seized drugs-burning programme.
The drug dealers have for long used Karbi Anglong as the supply route. The police are now trying to choke it, Sarma said. The CM took on his critics by asking them to not sympathize with drug dealers and drug peddlers.
“There have been debates on the ongoing police action against elements, including drug dealers, but before sympathizing with them, one must think of the families they destroyed and the society they damaged. So, don’t cry when one or two drug peddlers or drug kingpins get hit by bullets,” the CM said.
He said Section 46 of the CrPC has given powers to the police to take action within the law. He said the Centre was working tirelessly to curb the menace of drugs and cut the supply routes in the Northeast.
“Two years ago, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had visited Assam and discussed with the Directors-General of Police of all states in the Northeast on how we can cut the supply line of drugs. Many actions were initiated and drugs seized from across the region,” Sarma said.
He said despite the actions, the drug dealers continued with their activities as they had people in various sections of the government organisation.
Director-General of Police Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta said the original killers, ensconced in the military (of Myanmar), were in the protection of the non-state actors in the neighbouring country.
“(Myanmar-based insurgent group) Wa United State Army, supposed to be the meth emperor in the world, also proliferates arms in the Indian mainstream, basically the border of China and Myanmar,” the DGP said.
He said Nagaland’s commercial hub Dimapur is a very major base of methamphetamine. I am also told they (drug dealers) get a lot of protection from the non-state actors (militants). We have to be very careful and aware of all these,” he warned.
Over the past two months since Sarma took over as the CM, drugs worth Rs 163 crore have been seized in Assam.