New Delhi: Assam has launched a blitzkrieg against drug menace. It’s a three-pronged strategy to break the drug cartel flourishing in the ‘Golden Triangle’ and bring those caught into the trap back on the track. “Youths in particular and common people in general are determined to eradicate the menace of drug abuse from Assam. The ‘Team Assam’ is working in a coordinated manner with all stakeholders,” said GP Singh, IPS and Special DGP, Law and Order, and Director, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, in an exclusive interview to Dr Navneet Anand, Editor-in-Chief and Rajeev R, Editor of Bureaucrats India.

“If the cartel is strategically broken, then naturally the supply will fall. We are also working on cutting demand by several ways and also harm reduction by taking the youths to the rehabilitation centres. Youths of the state will fly high by being partners of development and not taking drugs,” he said, adding that in the past over 100 days the Assam police had made huge seizures worth over Rs 200 crore in the international market. Read The Full Interview Here:

Assam is determined to win its war against drug menace. Your comment, please!

Going with Assam’s mission of breaking the drug menace in its 100 days of government under the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the police are working on a three-pronged strategy – reducing supply, demand of drugs and its harm. I have never seen a CM having such zeal to work hard. He has tremendous knowledge of the state and is a hard task master. He has his goals clear. The Assam Police are making coordinated efforts. They have faced bullets for over 30 years and are fearless. Assam’s blitzkrieg against drug menace is decisive. We will have the last laugh.

Guwahati has emerged as a transit point for drugs coming from the Golden Triangle. How are you dealing with this challenge?

About 80 per cent of the nexus that worked to make Guwahati as a transit point for drugs coming from the ‘Golden Triangle’ has been broken. Yet, lots more work has to be done. The history of the drug business is very old and the channel that originates from Laos, East Asian countries and Myanmar passes through North Eastern states. The challenge is not to curb the local menace but to knock off the national and international cartels that work with money funded by many agencies. However, the best part is that all the seven North Eastern states are working in a coordinated manner and are strongly against it.

It is said that Myanmar – Manipur – Mizoram – Guwahati is the strongest nexus whose spine cannot be bent. Is it a myth or a reality?

I cannot disagree with everything you said. Nothing is impossible. We will try our best to break the nexus. In the northern regions of the Golden Triangle, opium is being cultivated and heroin is filtered. One of the routes to supply drugs is North-East India. The consumption of drugs in these areas has increased in the last 10 years. Around 30 per cent is consumed in North East India and the remaining 70 per cent is supplied to mainland India. The consumption is more among urban population. There are even transit points here. It is a reality. We are working hard and the Assam Police will have the last laugh.

Are you getting adequate support from the Central agencies?

Of course, yes! In the past, I headed key units in SPG and was also involved in major terrorist operations in Kashmir and other parts of the country while being part of the NIA. Agencies like the Narcotics Control Bureau and Intelligence Bureau are cooperating in identifying the ‘trouble spots and agencies working for them.’ The challenge is tough here, as there is a convergence of drugs and wildlife syndicates and extremists. Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his recent visit had reviewed the preparedness of all agencies in tackling the drug menace. Discussion was also held on backward and forward linkages.

What about people’s cooperation?

The mission of tightening the noose around the drug cartel would not have been possible without the support of parents and members of civil society. People come with complaints of youth taking drugs. Now-a-days, people are informing us on social media channels and to police control rooms. There is total cooperation from people, who have seen ruining of families and an increase of crime because of drugs. We won’t let down the aspirations of people and assure that Assam youths will fly high by becoming partners of development.

When I came to Assam in 2019 during the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) riots, I asked my fellow officers how so many youths were coming on the ground. They told me that many of those involved in riots have either consumed drugs or liquor. They were in majority as well. After a lot of investigation, we found out that many youngsters have been involved in criminal activities under the influence of drugs. Then we decided that this needs to be stopped with all firmness!
What methods were being used to gather the information about the peddlers? Were these old school methods?

As stated earlier, we have a strong approach against drugs. We have a major network of information. Extra incentives were provided. Huge money was involved in the drug menace and even some of our guys were black sheep. Some were shining angels. There were incidents involving a dedicated Home Guard, who refused to take money given during transit on Nagaland–Assam border. We seized 2-3 kg ‘ganja’ that day. He was recognized and inducted into the police as Constable. Age old methods of pumping in money to gather information and technical inputs were being utilized.

How aligned is Assam’s war against drugs to the people of the state?

The credit for the success of the Assam Police goes to the people of Assam. We have shared helpline numbers, WhatsApp numbers, Facebook, e-mail IDs, Twitter handle, etc. We gather major information from the vigilant citizens of the state. We have involved social welfare groups, the Education Department and Health Department, who don’t want their closed ones to get trapped in drugs. They are also actively connected to us. They are an important part in reducing consumption, lowering demand and providing rehabilitation to those who are not getting their needs fulfilled.

Assam shares borders with many States. What is your take on inter-state coordination?

Being surrounded by many borders, geographically, we thought that we were at a disadvantage. But, collectively all states are coordinating. We all are together. I really don’t feel geography is a disadvantage. There are minor hiccups which take place due to interest being hurt but, as a whole, we are together in our war against drugs. We will succeed in our war against drugs.

How are you pulling the youth of Assam in the progress and detaching them from drugs?

Driving youth away from drugs is not a single agency approach. We have ‘Team Assam’ who under one roof plans and executes resources. Education, health, sports and social welfare departments are pumping in resources to attract youths to positive activities. Youth will now be enthusiastic and get engaged in the arena of sports after the wonderful performance of India in the Olympics. I see a bright future for Assam. When I talk to the youths and their parents, both want themselves and their loved ones out of this trap. So, I think we are on the right track.

Do you think the bridge between cops and people is decreasing in our country?

In my view, if the police do their role of maintaining law and order, detection and prevention of crime, then there is no scope of gap between cops and people. Also there will never be a point at which the public can say that this is the effective police. Because at every milestone police reach, the criminals and people spreading disorder travel farther than police and police need to travel again for them. So, I think the police in India are well placed, but there is a lot to be done in terms of capacity building and reaching out to people through a large spectrum of electronic media. When I see young police officers from beginners to higher level, I have faith that this leadership will lead in the right direction.

How do you see your highs and lows of life?

Highs have been by the support of people of Assam and the lows are some terrible incidents when we could have used a particular methodology which would not have caused the loss of lives. We could have saved them.

What prompted you to join Civil Services?

The credit to all my success goes to my mother and father. The seed of joining Civil Services was sown by my father whom I lost to cancer in 2003 and my mother passed away in 2017. My family including my wife, who quit civil service to look after the family, has been tremendously supportive. I remember roaming in jungles for weeks and my wife waiting at doorstep awake for many days.

You have worked with two great Prime Ministers -- Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Dr Manmohan Singh, and many other illustrious personalities. Will you, please, share your experience?    
I learned a lot while working with the two PMs, especially their working style gave me an opportunity to learn a lot. Even former Assam Chief Minister Hiteshwar Saikia was a hard taskmaster. I also thank my seniors including PV Sumanta, AK Singh, BB Wangchuk, N Ramachandran, who did the handholding for me. I also acknowledged the contribution of my juniors, who protect him, as he has been given ‘Z’ category security.