Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Jan 21: Dakshina Kannada (DK) deputy commissioner (DC) Darshan H V has directed officials to intensify continuous inspections of shops operating near schools and colleges to curb the sale of drugs and tobacco products.
He was speaking while presiding over the district-level meeting of the Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD) held at Town Hall here on Tuesday.
The DC said awareness programmes against drug abuse should be conducted frequently in schools and colleges. Reports have emerged of students consuming drugs due to exam-related stress, and hence focused awareness programmes must be organised for students. Expressing displeasure over negligence in conducting such programmes in pre-university colleges, he pulled up the deputy director of the pre-university education department. He also stated that more drug testing kits would be provided to the Health department to increase testing.
Dakshina Kannada district superintendent of police (SP) Dr Arun K said officers of all departments must conduct drug-free awareness programmes among the public within their respective jurisdictions. Warning of action against negligent officials, he informed that in December last year alone, 62 persons who had consumed drugs and 21 peddlers were apprehended in the city.
The DC instructed officials of the tourism department to conduct frequent inspections of homestays and lodges. Coastal Security Police were directed to carry out surprise checks on boats, KSRTC authorities to keep a watch on parcels transported in buses, industrial units to create awareness against drug abuse, and officials to maintain strict surveillance at railway stations and the airport.
Officials from the drugs control department informed the meeting that show-cause notices had been issued to four medical stores for failing to properly maintain records related to the sale of medicines.
Meanwhile, police commissioner Sudhir Kumar Reddy stated that action against peddlers of drugs, ganja and other narcotic substances would be further intensified and continued until the last peddler is caught.
The police commissioner said the police department has been conducting continuous operations to dismantle drug distribution networks. Recent checks conducted among students did not yield any drug-positive cases, giving confidence that the ‘Nasha Mukt Mangaluru’ campaign would be fully successful.
He instructed all colleges to activate anti-drug committees and identify students suspected of being under the influence of drugs and help them through counselling. The police department would extend all necessary support in this regard.
Calling upon colleges to join hands in making educational campuses free from such habits, he said police officers would make periodic visits. Students affected by drugs would be treated as victims, but strict and uncompromising action would be taken against drug peddlers.
Referring to claims that drug usage is widespread in Mangaluru, the police commissioner said that between June 1, 2025 and January 17, 2026, as many as 5,356 drug tests were conducted in various colleges, out of which only 14 cases were detected. This, he said, indicates a decline in drug-related activity in the district.
The police commissioner also noted that a large number of students reside in paying guest (PG) accommodations in the city, and said the issue of mandating a police no-objection certificate before granting licences to PGs would be examined.
Deputy commissioner of police Mithun H N, ASP Anil Kumar, Mangaluru sub-divisional officer Meenakshi Arya, and others were present at the meeting.