Chief Minister and Home Minister Prof. Dr Manik Saha told the Assembly that officers found involved in drug trafficking would face strict legal action, while the state continues efforts to improve convictions under the NDPS Act. No Compromise With Police Involved in Drug Trade, Dr Saha asserted.
Key takeaways
- Tripura CM Manik Saha says there will be no compromise if police personnel are found involved in drug trafficking.
- The NDPS conviction rate in Tripura reached 14.7% up to July 2026, according to the Assembly reply.
- The government is strengthening police-prosecutor coordination and using multiple agencies to target drug networks.
A warning from the Tripura government has put police personnel under sharper focus in the state campaign against narcotics.
Government Rejects Claim of Low NDPS Conviction Rate
The Tripura government has rejected the claim that the conviction rate in cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act is extremely low. Congress MLA Gopal Chandra Roy raised the issue in the Tripura Legislative Assembly on Friday during a discussion on Short Notice.
Tripura Chief Minister and Home Minister Prof. Dr Manik Saha assertef the government would follow a zero-tolerance policy if police personnel are found involved in drug trafficking.
Roy raised concerns over the growing drug trade in the state. He said drug abuse was damaging the future of young people.
The Congress MLA also questioned the effectiveness of action against major drug networks if members of the police force themselves become involved in the illegal trade.
He sought details about police personnel allegedly linked to drug trafficking. The Congress MLA wanted to know how many such personnel had been detained, arrested or charge-sheeted. He also sought details of FIRs registered against them.
Dr Saha responded firmly and said if involvement is proved, the concerned personnel will face strict action under the law, he said.
NDPS Conviction Rate
The Chief Minister also provided an update on convictions under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.
He presented year-wise figures on convictions under the NDPS Act.
According to the reply, the conviction rate in 2023 was 11.7 percent. In 2024, the conviction rate was stated to be 18 percent, while the punishment rate was 15.5 percent. In 2025, 33 NDPS cases were mentioned, with the punishment rate standing at 11.6 percent.
The government said the figures did not support the claim that the conviction rate in NDPS cases was extremely low.
The issue assumes significance as Tripura continues to face an expanding narcotics network involving both traditional and synthetic drugs.
Special Focus on Investigation and Prosecution
The state government is working to strengthen the investigation and prosecution of drug cases.
Dr Saha said government prosecutors and assistant government prosecutors were holding regular meetings with police officers. The objective is to improve coordination between investigators and prosecutors.
Better coordination is expected to help investigators build stronger cases and ensure more effective prosecution in courts.
The government has also formed an Anti-Drug Unit under the Tripura Police Crime Branch to identify NDPS-related offences and persons involved in such crimes.
The unit is expected to provide greater focus to drug-related investigations and strengthen the identification of offenders.
Police, BSF and Other Agencies Working Together
Dr Saha said the government is coordinating with the police, BSF and other agencies to prevent drug trafficking and consumption.
Intelligence inputs are also being used to identify trafficking networks.
The government is simultaneously conducting awareness programmes in different parts of Tripura. These programmes aim to discourage drug consumption and create greater public awareness about the consequences of narcotics abuse.
The Chief Minister said the drug threat has also changed in recent years.
Synthetic drugs are increasingly entering Tripura from outside the state. He said people from states including Uttar Pradesh and Delhi had been arrested in connection with drug trafficking cases.
Action Against Users, Sellers and Larger Networks
The government has also directed authorities to act against drug users and small-time sellers.
Dr Manik Saha stressed that the campaign would not focus only on individual users or petty sellers. The government wants enforcement agencies to identify the wider supply chains that bring narcotics into the state.
Awareness Campaign to Continue
The Chief Minister said enforcement and awareness would continue simultaneously.
The government aims to prevent drug consumption while dismantling trafficking networks. It also wants to improve the conviction rate through stronger investigations and closer coordination with prosecutors.
The warning to police personnel forms a key part of that approach.
