Pipliya Mandi (Madhya Pradesh): Rajasthan's Gogunda Police on Tuesday arrived at Harsol village in Malhargarh tehsil of Mandsaur district and attempted to detain two individuals under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. However, police later released one of them after a protest by farmer leaders.
As per details, Gogunda police from Chittorgarh district arrived at Harsol village, under Narayangarh police station jurisdiction, early Tuesday regarding a case under Sections 8/15 of the NDPS Act, dating back to 2021. The police forcefully detained two persons including BJP leader and former sarpanch Shambhulal Sharma and Yunus Mansoori and attempted to take them along with them.
Villagers, led by farmer leader Shyamlal Jokchand opposed the action, arguing that the police cannot take individuals away without informing the concerned police station.
Gogunda Police officers pointed out that the accused arrested earlier in the Dodachura case had mentioned the names of Shambhulal Sharma and Yunus, prompting their visit. However, upon inspection of the documents, Yunus' name was absent. Police could not detain him without proper verification and relevant documentation. After facing intense opposition and protests, Gogunda police decided to release Yunus but proceeded to detain Sharma.
Former president of Krishi Mandi Banshilal Patidar, former Sarpanch Dharmendra Dhangar, and Sunil Diwania were also present. Jokchand later accused the police of using the NDPS Act as a means of extortion and corrupt practices, alleging that innocents were being targeted for financial gain. Jokchand asserted that the police from Mandsaur and Neemuch districts were fabricating NDPS cases to extract money from innocent farmers. He highlighted instances where police officers allegedly demanded bribes amounting to lakhs of rupees in exchange for releasing individuals. He also accused the BJP of recovering election expenses through false NDPS charges.
He emphasised the urgent need for farmers to unite against these injustices and fight against the misuse of the NDPS Act. Jokchand also threatened to launch a movement aimed at demanding the abolition of sections 8/15 and 8/29 of the NDPS Act.
