AGARTALA: The personal security guard of a Tripura minister and two police personnel were arrested with a huge quantity of drugs at Kanchanpur near the Mizoram border on Thursday.
Dilip Chakma, who is the personal security guard of social welfare and animal resource development minister Santana Chakma, and two other police personnel - constable Narottam Chakma and
Tripura State Rifles
jawan Sanjib Chakma - were arrested with heroin and Yaba tablets worth Rs 10 lakh. They have been booked under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and different sections of the
Indian Penal Code
.
North Tripura SP Bhanupada Chakraborty said that based on secret information, police stormed a forest department nursery and detained the three policemen. "We are interrogating the accused persons to find out about their source of business," he said.
Minister Santana Chakma has refused to make comment on the issue. BJP spokesperson
Nabendu Bhattacharjee
said, "The accused policeman, Dilip Chakma, was on leave and the government can in no manner be held responsible. Cannabis cultivation and drug smuggling were flourishing in the state during Left Front rule. But the BJP government has taken a tough stand against drug peddlers."
Bhattacharjee said in the past 20 months, 722 cases have been registered under NDPS Act and 1,241 people arrested for drug peddling and smuggling in the state. He added that at least 75 policemen, including a deputy superintendent of police, have been either arrested or suspended from service for their alleged involvement in drug peddling. About 78,853 kg of cannabis and 7.375 kg heroin were seized, he said.
Congress leader Subal Bhowmik alleged, "Corrupt officials and policemen are close aids of CM Biplab Deb now. They use their social contacts to carry on with their illegal activities. Corrupt people who looted crores of public money and were involved in illegal activities during Left Front rule are now a part of Deb's close circle."