Kohima: Nagaland Director General of Police (DGP) Rupin Sharma has announced that the state police, in collaboration with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), will host a two-day Regional Anti-Narcotics Task Force Conference on November 13 and 14 at Chumoukedima.
The conference will bring together representatives from all Northeastern states and West Bengal to discuss strategies for strengthening regional cooperation in combating drug trafficking and related challenges.
Addressing a press conference, Sharma said that senior officers from the Centre are expected to attend the event.
“The conference will deliberate on the challenges posed by narcotics trafficking in and from the Northeast, and formulate recommendations for effective implementation and coordination among states,” he said.
He added that this would be the first regional conference of its kind in the country under the ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat’ mission, with discussions focusing on supply reduction, enforcement, rehabilitation, and de-addiction efforts.
Regarding the ongoing Nagaland Police recruitment drive, the DGP said that the online application deadline, originally set for November 7, has been extended by 15 days to assist candidates who are facing delays in obtaining required documents such as indigenous certificates.
Responding to concerns over the Rs 300 application fee, Sharma clarified that registration on the recruitment portal is free and valid for all future recruitments, but applicants must pay the fee to be eligible for the examination.
He explained that the fee is necessary to cover operational expenses. “The creation of the recruitment portal cost nearly Rs 40 lakh, and there are additional expenses for OTPs, SMS alerts, and the three-tier examination process — physical, written, and interview. We are not making profit; we are actually cutting costs wherever possible, even producing badges in-house to save funds,” he said.
Sharma added that the online system has significantly reduced hardship for applicants, saving them travel and accommodation costs that could otherwise exceed Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 per person.
Speaking about the state’s forensic infrastructure, Sharma said Nagaland currently has a forensic laboratory in Dimapur, which can handle around 1,200–1,300 cases per year, though efforts are being made to improve district-level response.
He said proposals will soon be sent to the state government to enable faster forensic team visits to crime scenes, as mandated under the new criminal laws for cases involving punishments of over seven years.
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ADGP (Law & Order) Sandeep Tamgadge added that the government has approved the procurement of mobile forensic vans for all districts, with work orders already issued. The government is also creating additional posts for scientific officers and assistants to strengthen forensic services.
