RANCHI: The Jharkhand Police has adopted a unique initiative to check opium cultivation among the state’s rural population, naming it the “Chocolate War.” Under the initiative, police personnel visit weekly village markets and distribute chocolates in wrappers containing information about the legal repercussions of opium cultivation. Notably, the state’s Khunti district is among the worst affected, where opium has become a ‘major crop.’ Large scale cultivation of opium is done in Arki, Sayko, Murhu and Maranghada aras of Khunti. Apart from Khunti, the districts of Ranchi, Hazaribagh, Latehar, Palamu, and Chatra have also become fertile grounds for the “opium mafia.”According to police, the “opium mafia” has been cultivating opium in the ‘Maoist-influenced’ pockets of Jharkhand, allegedly with the support of villagers and Maoists. Under the aggressive campaign launched under the leadership of DGP Anurag Gupta, the police are not only taking strict action but also adopting measures to raise awareness among villagers about the consequences of cultivating and consuming opium.
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