Special cells, police stations to tackle drug menace: Home Minister

Three special cells and 38 new police stations have been sanctioned expressly to deal with the menace of drug abuse, Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy told the Council on Tuesday.

"Three special narcotic cells will be set up in Bengaluru, Mangaluru and Hubballi. Also, 38 special police stations will be set up only to deal with cyber crime and narcotic cases," Reddy said, during a detailed discussion on drug abuse initiated by Congress member Ivan D'Souza.

Reddy said drugs enter Karnataka from states such as Odisha and Tamil Nadu. He said the police had been directed to get to the source of the drugs, besides catching those who peddle them. The minister said some farmers grow marijuana (ganja) in Chamarajanagar district. "I have directed the police to book such farmers under the Goonda Act or the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act," he said.

Members cutting across party lines participated in the discussion on the menace, with many of them expressing concern that youngsters were falling prey to narcotics.

Students from North Indian states were responsible for bringing the 'drug culture' to Karnataka, Congress member C M Ibrahim said.

"It's not the local students, but those from North India, especially in engineering and medical colleges. They brought the culture of drugs," Ibrahim said.