Tripura CM Manik Saha says the conviction rate in NDPS cases rose to 14.7% till July this year from 11.7% in 2023, citing the government’s zero-tolerance policy, sustained crackdown, police-judiciary coordination and awareness campaigns against drug abuse.
Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha on Friday informed the state Legislative Assembly that the conviction rate in cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, has increased to 14.7 per cent till July this year, compared with 11.7 per cent in 2023.
The Chief Minister attributed the improvement to the state government’s zero-tolerance policy towards narcotics and sustained enforcement efforts against drug peddlers, traffickers and illegal traders. He made the statement while replying to a series of questions raised by senior Congress leader Gopal Chandra Roy on the second day of the Monsoon Session.
Saha said that despite a growing shift towards synthetic drugs from traditional and naturally derived narcotics, the state government, in coordination with the police and other security agencies, has intensified its efforts to prevent the smuggling and distribution of drugs across Tripura.
According to the Chief Minister, the government has adopted a multi-pronged strategy combining enforcement, legal action, coordination with the judiciary and public awareness campaigns. He said that those found involved in illegal narcotics-related activities would not be spared, irrespective of their position or influence.
Roy, during the Assembly proceedings, alleged that a section of police personnel was involved in the illegal drug trade and other narcotics-related activities. Responding to the allegation, Saha reiterated that strict legal and punitive action would be taken against anyone found involved in unlawful activities connected with drugs.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the importance of preventing drug abuse among young people. He said he had personally urged parents and guardians to remain vigilant so that school- and college-going children do not become involved in drug consumption or trafficking.
Saha further said that coordination between the police and judiciary has been strengthened to improve the conviction rate in NDPS cases. The state police have also established a special unit to handle cases registered under the NDPS Act, with the aim of ensuring more effective investigation and prosecution.
Roy also alleged that drugs were being smuggled into Tripura through railway networks and claimed that narcotics-related activities had spread extensively across the state.
Senior police officials said that Tripura is facing the movement of several highly addictive and illegal substances from other parts of the country. These include methamphetamine tablets, heroin and other narcotic substances. Cough syrups containing Codeine Phosphate, which are also illegally misused as drugs, were cited among the substances being smuggled into the state.
Officials said such narcotics are reportedly brought into Tripura from other Indian states, including states in the Northeast, before being distributed through illegal networks.
The wider geography of the Northeast also poses challenges for law-enforcement agencies. Mizoram and Manipur have emerged as important drug-trafficking corridors because of their long and porous international borders with Myanmar and their proximity to the Golden Triangle, a major illicit narcotics-producing region.
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The Tripura government’s latest figures indicate an improvement in the conviction rate, even as authorities continue to confront changing patterns of drug trafficking. The government has stressed that sustained enforcement, stronger prosecution and greater public awareness will remain central to its strategy against narcotics.
