Assembly polls: 20-fold jump in seizures in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland

Mukesh Ranjan

Advertisement

New Delhi, February 16

The Election Commission of India (ECI) today said that poll officials have made seizures totalling over Rs 147 crore so far in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland, which makes it 20-fold higher in recovery of drugs, liquor and cash. The seized items were meant for inducing voters in the run up to the polls, it added.

While voting took place in Tripura today, Meghalaya and Nagaland will go to polls on February 27.

The ECI in an official statement said a special inter-agency team was constituted to control illegal drugs, which resulted in Rs 14.12 crore worth of ganja cultivation being destroyed in Tripura. “The recorded seizures in the three states mark a significant increase. This has gone up by over 20 times as compared to assembly elections in 2018,” it said.

During visits to the poll-going states in January, the Commission had exhaustively reviewed the preparations with central and state enforcement agencies, the poll panel pointed out.

While announcing the poll schedule, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar had stressed on increased vigil and zero tolerance on distribution of inducements during electoral process.

“Due to coordinated efforts of enforcement agencies, extensive monitoring, marking of expenditure sensitive constituencies and adequate deployment of field teams, the results are encouraging with the three states witnessing seizures of Rs 147.84 crore after announcement of elections, which surpasses the seizures made in entire duration of enforcement of Model Code of Conduct in assembly elections, 2018 which was all of Rs 7.24 crore,” the ECI statement read.

“Big operations include seizure of 3.52 kg of heroin in Dhalai district amounting 10.58 crore made by police. Seizures of heroin were also reported from East Khasi Hills district in Meghalaya (2.447 kg) and from Chumoukedima district in Nagaland (2.27 kg), done by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence,” it said, while sharing the details of the seizure data.

In Tripura, where voting was held today, keeping in mind the sensitivity of drugs and illegal ganja cultivation, special team consisting of district police, forest officials, BSF, anti-narcotics unit and other agencies was formed in Sepahijhala and West Tripura district after announcement of elections. In Sepahijhala, total destruction of ganja plantation and seizure of dry ganja amounts to Rs 9.27 crore, it added.

In West Tripura district, the figure of ganja destruction is Rs 3.75 crore. In North Tripura also, seizure of ganja of 529 kg amounting to 1.10 crore was made, it noted.

Similar actions are being taken in the other two poll-going states and the seizures of drugs and psychotropic substances constitute 58 percent of total seizures reported from the three states.

Increased seizures are being witnessed under all heads of cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals and freebies, the poll panel observed.