Shillong: Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Prestone Tynsong on Thursday flagged off a motorcycle rally against drugs, with five Meghalaya Police riders joining a pan-India campaign that will cover more than 3,300 km to Ekta Nagar in Gujarat.
The rally, organised under the theme ‘Fight Against Drugs’, brings together police forces, central armed police forces and central police organisations from across the country.
Flagging off the riders, Tynsong said the long journey would reflect the seriousness of both the Centre and state governments in tackling the drug menace.
“The 3,200-plus kilometres is not a joke, but I am very sure that your riding will definitely demonstrate the seriousness of the government, be it the central government and the state government, and the holistic attempt to fight against drugs,” he said.
Five Meghalaya Police riders, along with five riders from Mizoram Police and four from the Narcotics Control Bureau, are part of the Northeast Zone contingent.
The Northeast Zone rally began from Agartala on October 4 and will cover around 3,340 km before culminating at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat. The participating motorcycle teams will also take part in the Ekta Diwas parade on October 31, held as part of National Unity Day celebrations.
Tynsong said Meghalaya has already taken steps to strengthen its fight against drugs, including setting up a dedicated Anti-Narcotics Task Force headed by an SP.
“We have already created a dedicated team headed by the SP ANTF and we have tried our best to fight against supplying of drugs,” he said.
He said the government was also working on providing counselling and support to people who have fallen into drug addiction.
Additional Director General of Police (HQ/A) Anurag Agarwal said drugs remain one of the biggest challenges facing society and future generations.
He said Meghalaya is primarily a transit state for drugs rather than an originating state, adding that this creates challenges for agencies trying to trace the source of narcotics.
“Meghalaya is not the originating state in the sense that it is used as a transit state and drugs, of course, whenever transit takes place there is consumption as well,” Agarwal said.
He said investigating agencies need stronger networks to trace the source of drugs, which may be located outside Meghalaya, and added that the police would work towards taking more stringent action against peddlers both within and outside the state.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (L&O) Davis N. R. Marak said the pan-India motorcycle rally has been divided into four geographical zones — North, Central, South and Northeast.
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He said the rally would culminate at Ekta Nagar, where the riders will participate in the October 31 Ekta Diwas parade before returning to their respective states and organisations.
The campaign is aimed at raising awareness about drug abuse while reinforcing efforts by law enforcement agencies to tackle the supply and consumption of narcotics.
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