Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Sep 12: Police commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy said that 132 drug peddlers have been arrested so far in 2025, compared to 160 last year. In the last three months alone, 73 peddlers have been arrested in 37 cases.
The total value of drugs seized in 2025 stands at Rs 2,04,23,650, which includes 290 kg of ganja worth Rs 79,15,650 and 574.81 grams of MDMA worth Rs 41,94,000.
“We have been conducting random tests, among which 478 tested positive in 2025. In colleges, voluntary tests were conducted in 43 institutions out of 113, where 10 students tested positive. Counselling was provided to them, and based on the information from these students, several peddlers have been arrested,” the commissioner said.
QR code initiative
The commissioner said that the QR code facility introduced by Mangaluru police to enable the public and students to report drug-related complaints has received a positive response. Some complaints have even included specific details, leading to arrests. He added that the initiative will continue.
Festival celebrations
On festival restrictions, he clarified, “We are not stopping or disturbing any celebrations. The Ganesh Chaturthi programme at Nehru Maidan went on till 2:30 am without any interruption. The only concern is the extent of sound used, which should not cause inconvenience to others. If it is a small ground, the sound should be limited to that ground and not disturb hospitals, senior citizens, or nearby residents. Organisers must take licenses and permission from local police stations for using mics and sound.”
On processions being rerouted midway, he said, “Police are authorised under the KP Act to decide routes. We do not intend to stop any procession. Organisers can approach local police stations, and feasible solutions will be provided.”
Traffic fines and pending cases
From August 23 to September 12, a total of 42,600 people cleared their traffic fines under the 50% concession scheme, generating Rs 1.07 crore in revenue.
This year, 69 arrests have been made in long-pending cases. The commissioner said such cases demand significant effort and attention, and the arrests mark important progress.
Action against lucky schemes
He further said that police will take preventive action against fraudulent lucky schemes. “There are registered and unregistered schemes that have been around for 10–15 years. We have already bound over Rs 1 crore in such cases,” he added.