Aizawl, Nov 13: The Assam Rifles, in a joint operation with Mizoram Police, recovered highly addictive Methamphetamine tablets valued at Rs 45 crore from Saitual district and arrested two drug peddlers, officials said on Thursday.

A defence spokesman said that based on specific intelligence about the movement of drugs on the Ngopa-Saitual road in northern Mizoram’s Saitual district, a joint operation was launched on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday.

The team of Assam Rifles established a vehicle check post, which intercepted the suspected vehicle carrying drugs at Ngopa.

During the search operation, 15 kg of banned Methamphetamine tablets worth Rs 45 crore were recovered from two persons — Rabizul Haq and Naasiruddin, both residents of Barpeta in western Assam.

Recovered contraband, smuggled from Myanmar, along with apprehended individuals and their vehicle, were handed over to the Saitual district Police for detailed investigation and further legal proceedings.

As part of its continuous efforts to curb the spread of the drug menace in Mizoram, the Assam Rifles conducted yet another successful anti-narcotics operation, the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, the Assam Rifles, in a joint operation with Assam Police, recovered heroin valued at Rs 4.65 crore from near Jhujang Pahar in Cachar district of southern Assam on November 11.

The November 11 drug seizure took place within two days in the same Cachar district.

The Assam Rifles, in a similar joint operation with Assam Police, recovered methamphetamine tablets worth Rs 6 crore on November 9. The banned methamphetamine tablets, also known as Yaba or party tablets, contain a mixture of methamphetamine and caffeine and are commonly referred to as the ‘crazy drug’.

The highly addictive drugs are very popular among drug addicts in India, Bangladesh and the neighbouring countries.

Notably, Myanmar shares a 1,643-km-long unfenced border with four Northeastern states — Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland — which serve as a key transit point for drugs, particularly heroin and methamphetamine tablets.

At least six of the 10 districts of Mizoram — Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual and Serchhip — share a 510-km border with Myanmar. Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura and southern Assam have turned into major corridors for drug smuggling from Myanmar, with the illegal consignments being ferried to other parts of the country and abroad.

Lonavala: Prominent industrialist Gautam Adani and senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar once again shared the stage, drawing attention to their cordial relations. The two were seen together at the wedding ceremony of IPS officer Pravin Ramrao Pawar’s daughter and Prashant Nilawar’s son, held recently in Maharashtra.

The event was attended by several dignitaries, including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, top bureaucrats, and political leaders from across parties.

The meeting between Adani and Pawar sparked interest in political circles, as both leaders were seen engaging in warm conversation and exchanging greetings. Their friendly interaction comes amid ongoing political developments in Maharashtra, where alliances and relations between leaders often draw public scrutiny.

Despite political differences, Sharad Pawar is known for maintaining cordial ties across the business and political spectrum. Similarly, Gautam Adani’s appearance at the event highlighted his personal and professional connections with several prominent figures in the state.

The ceremony remained a grand affair, marked by the presence of influential personalities, reflecting the strong social and political networks that connect Maharashtra’s top leadership.

Patna, Nov 13: As the counting of votes for the highly-anticipated Bihar Assembly elections will begin on November 14, the NDA on Thursday expressed full confidence that Nitish Kumar will once again become the Chief Minister for the 10th time. Opposition parties, however, also exuded optimism about forming the next government in the state.

BJP State President Dilip Jaiswal said, “The people of Bihar have given their mandate, and voters across the state participated with great enthusiasm. The development work carried out by the Bihar government, along with the trust people have in Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will lead to the NDA forming the government once again with a massive majority. Abki Baar NDA Sarkar!”

He added, “There was no need for re-polling anywhere, and no incidents of violence were reported. This reflects the trust people have in the government. The voter turnout was also significantly higher, and polling was peaceful across the state. This clearly indicates that there will be an NDA government again.”

JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said, “The people of Bihar no longer want Tejashwi Yadav, who faces several charges. He will continue to lose because the INDIA bloc has suffered under his leadership. The people of Bihar trust the NDA, and they want Nitish Kumar to take charge as Chief Minister for the 10th time.”

BJP leader Ram Kripal Yadav also voiced confidence in the NDA’s victory.

“The result is already known to us even before counting. The NDA will form the government with a huge majority, and Nitish Kumar will once again become the Chief Minister,” he said.

LJP (Ram Vilas) MP Shambhavi Choudhary echoed similar sentiments, stating, “The Opposition will, of course, make claims — that’s part of politics. But these statements have no factual basis. The NDA is set to form the government once again with a full majority and complete strength. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will take the oath once more.”

Meanwhile, the Opposition parties have also expressed confidence in their chances.

Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput said, “We are waiting for the results, but we have no faith in the exit polls sponsored by the government or the BJP. We trust the people’s vote and are confident that the Mahagathbandhan will secure a large majority and form the government in Bihar. The NDA had also claimed it would sweep Uttar Pradesh, but the Mahagathbandhan performed strongly there. We are confident of a similar outcome in Bihar.”

RJD leader Mrityunjay Tiwari added, “Tomorrow, when the results are out, the people of Bihar will triumph. The Mahagathbandhan government is destined to be formed, just as the Sun rises in the East. The public has voted for change, and every vote will count. Tonight will be a long night for the NDA.”

According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), counting of votes and the announcement of trends for the Bihar Assembly Elections will begin at 8 a.m, with the final results expected by the evening.

The second phase of polling concluded peacefully on Tuesday, recording a 68.79 per cent voter turnout, with data from around 2,000 polling booths still pending, according to Chief Electoral Officer Vinod Singh Gunjiyal.

The Bihar Assembly Elections 2025, held in two phases on November 6 and 11, witnessed record voter participation. Most exit polls released on Tuesday predicted a decisive victory for the BJP-led NDA and a setback for the RJD and Congress-led Mahagathbandhan in the high-stakes contest.

Several polling agencies forecast a comfortable majority for the NDA, projecting it to easily cross the halfway mark of 122 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan was seen struggling to touch the 100-seat mark.

Out of seven major pollsters, most projected a clear majority for the BJP-led NDA, with three predicting its tally to cross 160 seats. For the Mahagathbandhan, most forecasts placed it in the double digits, with a few giving it a possible upper limit of around 100 seats.

As Bihar awaits the final results, political tension continues to mount, with both alliances — the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan claiming victory ahead of the decisive counting day.