Mizo Convention in Tripura demands action against smuggling of areca nut and cattle

The Mizo Convention of Jampui Hills in Tripura’s North district has demanded the intervention of Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha to put an end to the illegal trading of foreign arecanut and cattle in the state. The social organization of people living in Jampui Hill has also called for action against the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Vanghmun police station for his alleged involvement in the smuggling business.

In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister, the delegation stated that the community youth volunteers intercepted and caught a huge haul of foreign cattle coming from Myanmar through Mizoram into Tripura on the night of April 3. The smugglers did not possess any valid papers to prove that their cattle were being moved lawfully.

The letter stated that the smugglers had been operating for months with the knowledge and under the patronage of the Officer-in-Charge of Vanghmun police station, Suleman Reang. They have accused him of receiving bribe money from the smugglers. This was confirmed by the confession made by the smuggler's agent, Jabir Hussain, who reportedly rushed towards Jampui Hill from Damcherra on hearing about their fate.

The community leaders, the local youths, the smugglers and their accomplices, and the OC and his men from Vanghmun PS were all present at the site during the altercation. The smugglers and the OC himself allegedly tried to bribe the community youths with the offer of Rs 700 per cattle to let go of the consignments of smuggled cattle, which the community youths rejected.

On April 5, the Mizo Convention again nabbed areca nut smugglers and their huge consignments of foreign illegal areca nuts coming from Mizoram at Vanghmun village. The OC of Vanghmun PS and his Second OC were found present on the site with plain civil clothes and private cars, according to the letter.

The Mizo Convention expressed concern over the scale of smuggling taking place with the involvement of the local law enforcement agency. They have demanded accountability and punishment for the present OC of Vanghmun police station and his men involved as per the law to ensure public safety and regain the confidence of the people.

The letter further added, "Now it is areca nut and cattle smuggling, next time it can be drugs and human-trafficking. Therefore, we demand that the present OC of Vanghmun police station and his men involved be held accountable and punished as per the law, to ensure public safety and gain back their confidence, and most of all to stop smuggling.”