Winter is the sowing time to poppy cultivation. Palamu police is out to ruin it in its nascent stage. 

A team of police and forest officials in a joint operation destroyed the upcoming poppy cultivation at Siknee and Sakda villages under the Manatu police station.

Officer in charge of the Manatu police station Nirmal Oraon told this newspaper today "We have jointly destroyed 15 acres of upcoming paddy cultivation on Saturday."

Four tractors were pressed in the operation against poppy. 10 acres of poppy cultivation were destroyed at Sikda village and 5 acres at Sikni village. 

It was a 5 hour strenuous drive. The two poppy sites are 8kms away from the nearest police station Manatu. 

Police officer Nirmal Oraon said there was no compromise with the security as Siknee and Sakda villages are infamous for the banned cash crop paddy. 

Sources said where there is poppy  there is naxalism as right from Maoists down to splinter group of naxals narco extremism is cash oriented. 

Police officer Oraon further said no villager of any of the two villages Siknee and Sakda gave any name of the cultivator. 

Police officer added there is no FIR lodged in this case. 

Only station diary entry has been made added the police officer Oraon. 

Sources said this is the first major joint drive of the police and forest personnel against the illicit cultivation of the poppy. 

Forest officials used to keep distance from such operation with the police.  This is a new beginning. 

Sources said it's the new HoFF Satyajit Singh who has directed the DFOs and others to come out of the green house and help people in their fight against drugs.

Forest officials joining hands with police and that too against the poppy and that too under the Manatu police station limits was an unheard of thing till 2023.

But with new HoFF forest officials are showing courage to take up cudgel against illicit drug lords in the rural landscape.