Drugs, liquor worth INR 20 crore seized in poll-bound Nagaland since MCC enforcement

In poll-bound Nagaland, different enforcement agencies have seized cash, drugs and liquor with a total valuation of over INR 20 crore since the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) on January 18.

As per the consolidated seizure report till January 31 provided by the office of the Nagaland Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) on Wednesday, Police and Income Tax department have seized cash, liquor, drugs and areca nuts worth INR 20.06 crore since the MCC enforcement.

Total cash of INR 35.69 lakh, 35,716 litres of liquor worth INR 2.24 crore, drugs including 2.57 kg of heroin worth a total of INR 16.27 crore and 3,080 kg of areca nuts worth INR 1.19 crore were seized from different parts of the state till Tuesday, it said. A CEO source said 2,034 licensed firearms have been deposited with various police stations across the state.

Interacting with reporters, Nagaland Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) V Shashank Shekhar said the electioneering process has been peaceful so far.

He said no candidate has submitted documents in any of the 60 seats on the second day of filing of nominations on Wednesday.

Shekhar said 24 expenditure observers have been deployed in various parts of the state and another 16 general and police observers each will reach the state at least a day before the last date of filing of nominations on February 7.

Nagaland has a total of 13,17,634 electors, and 2,315 polling stations, of which 680 have been marked as vulnerable and 920 as critical.

Of the total requisition for 305 companies of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) for the election, 75 companies have already been deployed in the state for maintaining law and order.

Nagaland will go to polls on February 27 and counting of votes will take place on March 2.