SWABI: The police on Sunday destroyed poppy crop in Gadoon Amazai mountainous belt.

District police officer Najamul Hussain told mediapersons that some farmers had cultivated the crop in far-off areas of the region despite the government had imposed ban its cultivation.

He said the people of Gadoon Amazai region had given up growing poppy crop in 1987 and under an agreement with the government. The accord saw establishment of Gadoon Amazai Industrial Estate, where the people growing poppy were employed.

However, he said some farmers violated the agreement several times, forcing the authorities to destroy the crop.

DPO Hussain said the operation was carried out by a team led by DSP Topi Roshan Zeb Khan in Sarkoi village in the limits of Gadoon police station. The crop grown over six kanals of land was destroyed, he added.

The DPO said no one would be allowed to cultivate poppy in any part of the district.

DSP Zeb said the farmers didn’t resist the operation.

Also in the day, two motorcyclists were injured in separate road accidents on Sunday.

Ihtesham Khan, 25, was injured when a rickshaw and motorcycle collided on Swabi-Topi Road at Safdar Chowk.

In another incident, Ismail Khan, 25, of Shewa village was injured when he lost control over his motorcycle, which hit a roadside walk due to over-speeding.

Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2023