BIHAR'S NAXAL-AFFECTED VILLAGES GROW POPPY

PATNA: The rampant cultivation of opium (poppy seeds) in some
villages in naxal-affected Gaya district and near the Indo-Bangladesh
border in Kishanganj district of Bihar has baffled the state
administration. Interestingly, residents of Simalbari village under
Kishanganj district were equally surprised to know that the new crop
being grown in their village was opium and its cultivation was an
offense liable for prosecution under the narcotic drugs and
psychotropic substances (NDPS) act.

According to reports reaching the state police headquarters here, the
district magistrate and SP of Gaya raided three naxal-affected
villages in Mohanpur block on a tip-off that opium was being grown by
some farmers there. The officials found that opium was illegally
grown in these villages, although on a small scale. They estimated
the total area under illegal cultivation to be around 1.5 acres. The
identity of the actual land owners or those growing the illegal crop
could not be ascertained as all the male members had absconded from
the villages after seeing the posse of armed police forces.

DM Jitendra Srivastava asked revenue officials to find out who the
actual owners of the land were. Meanwhile, the police have registered
a case under the NDPS act. The DM has also sought people's
co-operation in detecting opium cultivation in other parts of the
district and has promised to keep the identity of informers
confidential and also reward them suitably.

It is believed that the drug was being cultivated under the patronage
of naxals as the area is considered to be their stronghold. The
Kishanganj police also unearthed illegal cultivation of opium on a
four-acre plot at Simalbari village. The actual owners of the land
confessed before that they had given their land on lease to a person
called Mohammed.

Ziaul Haque and Mohd Nazmul are residents of another village along
the Indo-Bangladesh border. A tract of land was leased out to them
for Rs1,700 through one of their relatives. The land owners and
villagers were stunned to learn the crop, which planters said was a
new variety of mustard from Assam, was actually opium. When police
raided the village of the planters they were found absconding. A case
was registered against them.