Manipur firebrand police officer to join politics
Manipur’s firebrand police officer Brinda Thounaojam, who is awaiting the acceptance of his resignation, has plans to enter politics.
Thoungaojam is known for her crusade against drug smugglers and dealers, as well as the system, due to which such people strive.
She is currently Additional Superintendent of Police (Headquarters) in Imphal, but has submitted her resignation earlier this month. The resignation is yet to be accepted by the government.
In June 2018, she led a team that seized 4.595 kg of heroin and 2.80 lakh World is Yours (WY) amphetamine tablets worth around Rs 27.79 crore from eight persons during an operation in and around Imphal. Among those arrested in connection with the seizure was Lhukhosei Zou, former chairman Chandel Autonomous District Council.
In appreciation of her work, Thounaojam was conferred with the Chief Minister’s Police Medal for Gallantry on the occasion of Patriots’ Day,13th August,2018. However, in December 2020, the Special Court (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) acquitted Lhukhosei Zou and six others on the grounds that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges levelled against them.
Following the acquittal, an agitated Thounaojam wrote to the state Chief Minister stating that she was returning the gallantry award. In her letter to the Chief Minister she wrote, “.. . I feel morally inclined that I have not conducted my duty as ‘per the wishes’ of the Criminal Justice Delivery System of the land. Hence, for the reasons cited above, I do not consider myself deserving of the honour bestowed upon me by your good self. I, therefore, return the same to the state Home Department so that it may be given to a more deserving and loyal police officer.”
She had also publicly criticised the prosecution for its failure to argue the drug seizure case properly in the court.
According to her there is great amount of political interference from influential quarters and that honest and sincere officials cannot work freely or in accordance with the prevailing laws and norms.
The dynamic police officer feels that on entering politics, she will able to work from the betterment of the people of the state. She now plans to contest the Legislative Assembly elections.