A police team tasked with eradicating illegal opium cultivation in the Kangpokpi district of Manipur faced severe resistance from 80–90 armed miscreants, forcing them to retreat without completing their mission, according to an FIR filed after the incident.
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The joint team consisted of 25 personnel, volunteers from the Liangmai Naga tribe, and five drivers, carrying only three assault rifles due to the physical challenges of dismantling poppy farms.
The team advanced on foot for three hours to reach the operation site in the Makhan hill range, where armed individuals with guns, daggers, and wooden clubs blocked their path, threatening violence if the eradication efforts continued. Considering the remote location and lack of immediate reinforcements, the team withdrew to ensure their safety, the FIR stated.
The operation highlighted the complexity of addressing illegal opium cultivation in Manipur, a region fraught with ethnic tensions. The Kangpokpi district is also a stronghold of the Kuki National Front (KNF), led by ST Thangboi Kipgen. This group is one of many Kuki-Zo militant organizations operating under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement, a controversial accord whose renewal deadline expired earlier this year.
Manipur’s Chief Minister N. Biren Singh revealed that five villages in Kangpokpi had been identified for illegal opium cultivation, promising swift action to dismantle the farms. Meanwhile, civil society groups from the Meitei community have alleged that Kuki insurgent groups are behind the spread of illegal opium cultivation in the region.
In response to the escalating tension, the Makhan village authority demanded the removal of opium plantations within four days, warning of potential unrest if the issue remained unresolved.
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