Drug-smuggler found dead

Aizawl, May 9 (UNI) An alleged drug dealer died in the Young Mizo Association's(YMA) Supply Reduction Service(SRS) North Zone's office at Chaltlang area here under mysterious circumstances, police said today.

The body of C Lalbiakliana(55), was found at the SRS office yesterday and brought to Aizawl civil hospital by the Bawngkawn police for post-mortem. Eyewitnesses at the hospital said the body bore mortal wounds.

Acting on the information that Lalbiakliana was a contraband-smuggler, the dreaded SRS volunteers had been hunting for him for the past one week, but could not nab him as he was away on a trip. However, he landed into the SRS' trap at Tuirial near Aizawl on Monday night.

According to SRS North Zone secretary Vanlalhmuaka, the volunteers unearthed a huge quantity of contraband, on Wednesday last week, from the deceased's brother's farm, about 4 km away from Tuirial.

The ganja was handed over to the Excise and Narcotics Department while the farm owner C Rokhuma had also been jailed, Mr Vanlalhmuaka added.

However, the SRS denied killing the ganja-dealer. Their leader claimed that the dealer had injured himself while attempting to flee, adding, ''He had complained of stomach ache. He confessed to smuggling ganja and abusive proxyvon from Shillong. Since he complained of stomach ache, we did not touch him. We planned to hand him over to the Excise Department but found him dead shortly after.

''In our fight against social evils, we have met with this unwanted incident. We are ready to apologise wherever it is necessary. Indeed, some CYMA leaders have gone to the deceased's house at Mission Vengthlang yesterday to apologise,'' CYMA Treasurer Vanlalrema Rokhum said.

Sources said at least seven SRS volunteers courted arrest yesterday but according to police, no one had been arrested in this connection so far.

At least four people had allegedly died at the hands of the YMA since it declared war on drugs and alcohol in 2005, besides those severely wounded and their houses dismantled for their alleged involvement in drug and liquor dealing.

Last night, hundreds of youths from Mission Vengthlang locality and other localities took to the streets shouting anti-SRS slogans, before the police managed to disperse them.

UNI