ITANAGAR, Feb 15 - In a major crackdown on illicit poppy cultivation, large swathes of poppy fields were destroyed during a joint operation by the police and the civil administration in Changlang district today.
�As many as eight plots of illegal poppy cultivation fields measuring approximately 3.2 hectares with raw opium poppy weighing about 1,535 kg were destroyed at Sompoi village under the Diyun circle and Longsang and Thamlom villages under the Khimiyang circle,� Changlang SP Mihin Gambo said.
The SP said the operation was launched after being tipped off about illicit poppy cultivation in those areas following constitution of two special teams � one each for Diyun and Khimiyang.
The Diyun team led by Extra Assistant Commissioner Jacob Tabing and Miao SDPO Tasi Darang destroyed two plots of illegal poppy crop fields measuring about 1,918 square metres at Sompoi village under the Diyun circle.
The other team led by Changlang DSP T Tangha destroyed two plots of illegal poppy with raw opium poppy weighing 75 kg at Longsang and four plots with 990 kg of raw opium poppy at Thamlom village under the Khimiyang circle. The villagers, including the Gaon Burahs and Mahila Mandal, assisted the police and officials during the drive.