India, Jan. 7 -- For the first time this year, a joint team of central and state forces on Tuesday eradicated approximately 12.9 hectares of illicit poppy fields, and burnt down a temporary hut in Manipur's Senapati district, officials said.

The combined team, comprising personnel from the Senapati Forest Division, Police, CRPF, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and village volunteers from Khabung, carried out the operation to destroy illegal poppy crops cultivated in the Upper and Lower Khabung hill ranges of Senapati district, bordering Nagaland to the north.

Officials reported that around 12.9 hectares of illicit poppy fields were destroyed, and one temporary hut was burnt and dismantled during the operation. Efforts are underway to ide...