Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday called for unanimous political support for the Assam Police in its campaign against drug trafficking, saying law enforcement agencies need the backing of all political parties to effectively dismantle organised narcotics networks.
Replying to a discussion on drug abuse during the second day of the Budget Session in the Assam Legislative Assembly, Sarma said police personnel often operate under extremely challenging conditions while taking action against heavily armed drug traffickers.
The Chief Minister said the government had launched an extensive anti-drug drive during its previous tenure, but police actions frequently attracted criticism whenever strict measures, including encounters, were taken against traffickers.
He maintained that major drug syndicates dealing with consignments worth crores of rupees are often prepared to attack police teams, forcing security personnel to respond firmly. Sarma urged legislators to stand by the police whenever they take strong action against organised drug networks.
Rejecting attempts to link the drug problem to any particular community, the Chief Minister said investigations have consistently traced major trafficking routes to the Myanmar border through Mizoram and Manipur. He added that the Union Government, under Union Home Minister Amit Shah, has already initiated measures to tighten surveillance and enforcement along these routes.
While advocating a tough approach against traffickers, Sarma stressed that rehabilitation of drug addicts must remain an equally important priority. Expressing concern over reports of narcotics being supplied even inside some rehabilitation centres, he appealed to non-governmental organisations to establish more de-addiction facilities and assured financial assistance from the state government through a dedicated support scheme.
The discussion was initiated by Congress MLA Jakir Hussain Sikdar, who questioned why drug abuse continues despite large-scale seizures and arrests. He said nearly 1,300 NDPS cases had been registered in Assam so far in 2026, with around 1,900 arrests involving heroin, cannabis, psychotropic tablets, cough syrups and other narcotic substances.
Several legislators from different political parties, including AIUDF, BJP, AGP, BPF and AITC, also demanded stronger measures to curb the drug menace.
Replying on behalf of the government, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pijush Hazarika said the state’s anti-drug campaign has intensified significantly since the present government assumed office. According to official data, NDPS cases increased from 195 in 2011 to 2,256 in 2021 due to stronger enforcement, while around 3,500 cases and 4,901 arrests were recorded in 2025.
Hazarika also highlighted the Drugs Free Assam mobile application, launched in December 2021, through which citizens can anonymously report drug-related activities. He said the app has generated more than 500 actionable inputs, leading to the arrest of nearly 30 accused persons.
