Tripura, 1st Jan 2026: Just a few days before the peak harvest season, a massive last-minute crackdown was carried out by the joint security forces under the leadership of Jatrapur Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Siti Kantha Bardhan. According to the OC, more than 1.25 lakh mature cannabis plants were cut down and burnt during a large-scale operation conducted on Sunday.
With winter temperatures dropping, this period is considered ideal for cannabis plants to mature. Taking advantage of this critical time, the joint forces launched a decisive operation, leaving several cannabis cultivators in distress.
The OC stated that the operation began around 8:00 am on Sunday, involving personnel from the 9th TSR Battalion, along with troops from the 11th, 14th, and 15th TSR Battalions, and officers of Jatrapur Police Station. In total, around 100 jawans participated in the operation.
The operation continued smoothly for nearly five and a half hours, after which the force returned to the police station at around 2:00 pm.
According to OC Siti Kantha Bardhan, the drive was initially carried out in the Khatyakhala and Shaltali Colony areas under Kathalia Gram Panchayat, extending eastwards up to the southern region of Chandir Bandh. Cannabis plantations in these areas were systematically destroyed.
In total, 65 small and large cannabis garden plots were cut down and set on fire. The OC explained that merely cutting the plants is not sufficient, as owners often return later to collect cannabis from the cut plants. Therefore, the plants were immediately burnt using a small amount of petrol to ensure complete destruction.
OC Bardhan further asserted that similar operations will continue in the coming days whenever opportunities arise, as part of the ongoing crackdown against illegal cannabis cultivation.
