16/03/2026
CHANGLANG RESIDENT SPEAKS OF LIVING NEXT TO ALLEGED DRUG TRADE
■ Toko Young ■ Changlang ■ March 16
In a quiet residential lane in Changlang town, behind the walls of an ordinary house, residents allege that a drug trade has quietly taken root, turning everyday life for those living nearby into a tense exercise in caution and silence.
For one resident living next door, the alleged activity has transformed what was once a peaceful home into a place of constant vigilance. The resident, who requested anonymity due to safety concerns, has lived in the area for over a decade and says the change has been gradual but unmistakable.
“Over the years, I started noticing unfamiliar faces arriving at odd hours,” the resident said. “There are quick exchanges, hushed conversations, and people leaving almost as quickly as they arrive.”
According to the resident, the suspicious activity has been occurring for several years. Yet, despite growing unease among neighbours, no formal complaints have been filed from the immediate vicinity.
The reason, residents say, is simple: fear.
“I know something is wrong,” the resident said quietly. “But speaking out could put my life and my family at risk.”
Living beside the alleged activity has meant adopting daily precautions, avoiding unnecessary interaction with the occupants, keeping doors and windows tightly secured at night, and ensuring children remain indoors after dark.
“It’s not just about the fear of crime,” the resident explained. “It’s the emotional burden of knowing something harmful may be happening next door and feeling completely powerless to stop it.”
Law enforcement officials acknowledge that such situations are not unusual. A police personnel, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that drug networks often operate discreetly within residential areas precisely because community silence allows them to function undetected.
“Drug sellers do not always operate in isolated locations,” the police personnel said. “They blend into neighbourhoods. When residents are afraid to report suspicious activities, it becomes easier for such networks to continue operating.”
Local officials, when contacted, said they rely heavily on information from the public to act against drug related crimes.
“Anonymous tips are extremely important for us,” the official stated. “There are systems in place to ensure that the identity of informants remains confidential.” However, residents argue that a lack of awareness about reporting mechanisms, and doubts about the effectiveness of protection for informants, often discourages people from coming forward.
Despite such assurances, many residents remain hesitant, fearing that even a suspected complaint could lead to retaliation or social backlash within tightly knit communities.
The issue has also drawn attention from local leadership. Addressing concerns about drug abuse and illegal drug trade in the region, Tesam Pongte, MLA of North Changlang Constituency and Speaker of the Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly, stressed the importance of strengthening trust between the public and authorities.
“People should not have to choose between their safety and doing the right thing,” Pongte said. “There must be visible assurance that those who speak out will be protected.”
He emphasised that combating the growing menace of drug abuse cannot be achieved by government agencies alone.
“Local MLAs, district administration, anti-drug activists, and rehabilitation centres are working to address the problem, but without the active participation and cooperation of the public, it will be difficult to effectively curb the menace,” Pongte said.
Appealing directly to the people of Changlang, Pongte urged citizens to report any drug-related activities in their neighbourhoods to the district administration, anti-drug activists, or social workers.
He assured that the identity of informants would be kept strictly confidential and that their safety would not be compromised.
Yet for residents living closest to the alleged trade, assurances alone are not enough to erase years of fear.
For now, the neighbour who spoke about the situation continues to live beside the suspected activity in silence, watching unfamiliar visitors come and go, hoping that one day the burden of fear will lift and that speaking the truth will no longer feel like a personal risk.
Until then, the struggle remains a quiet one, unfolding behind closed doors in a neighbourhood that once felt safe.
