Among other factors, the ethnic faultlines in Manipur have also been attributed to Chief Minister Biren Singh’s “war on drugs” and the perception that it is just a pretext to target Kukis. But it is not the first time that the chief minister has been accused of a bias in the action on narcotics.

Thounaojam Brinda, who had resigned as an IPS officer in 2021 over a high-profile drugs case, had earlier accused Singh and the Manipur government of sheltering certain drug lords. The first officer from Manipur to get a gallantry award in the narcotics division, Brinda had returned her award in protest when suspects in a high profile drug case were acquitted by court.

In this conversation with Newslaundry, the former officer answers several critical questions. Was she pressured by CM Singh to go soft on the suspects? Is the government protecting a few drug lords? Is this the conflict between anti- and pro-drug groups? And has the conflict led to the surfacing of underground insurgent groups?

On the violence in Manipur, Brinda says, “It is a result of bad government policies for the last many decades…we haven’t known peace in the last 70 years. Since we merged with the union of India, we don’t know what is real peace…forced peace may seem to be there, but that is not peace.”

Watch.