Drug Cartel Busted; Son of MLA Lokam Tassar Under Police Scanner

A CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: Arunachal State police department in its continuous endeavour to make the capital complex of Itanagar free from drugs on Sunday busted two more drug peddlers from the various locations of Itanagar.

Capital SP Tumme Amo informed that a team of police from Naharlagun on a regular patrolling in and around the Naharlagun area arrested Kajal Mandal, Subash Mandal and Tojing Binggeb while consuming heroine last Saturday.

Later, the trio during interrogation disclosed that they had bought the drugs from a person idenified as Manu Barman. On further interrogation of Barman, it was revealed that the substance was bought from from Lokam Lulu, son of the present Koloriang Assembly constituency MLA, Lokam Tassar and presently residing at Damsite, Naharlagun.

He said that, Barman along with three of his friends were found in inebriated condition and were suspected of consuming drugs. The police seized a certain quantity of suspected NDPS substance from them.

Under the close surveillance of SP, a team was constituted and the team conducted raid at the residence of Lokam Lulu located at Damsite but was found absent from his residence. However, search was carried out in the residence of Lokam Lulu in the presence of his family members. But, no contraband drug was found.

He said that, on further inquiry the family members informed that Lulu was staying with his wife Dagbi Rime in the residence of Gumdak Rime. Accordingly, under the close monitoring of the SP, the team conducted a search operation in that residence on Sunday and found more than 10 grams of suspected heroin, and cash amounting to Rs 97,500. The money is suspected to be the sale proceeds of drugs. Several empty vials and other incriminating items were recovered too.

Later Lokam Lulu also admitted that the recovered suspected heroin belonged to him. Accordingly, a case vide NLG PS Case No. 165/19 U/S 21(b) of NDPS Act was registered. The accused — Manu Barman and Lokam Lulu — have been arrested. Further investigation is on to track the source of the recovered drugs.