BENGALURU: Expressing concern over the rise in drug menace cases across Karnataka in recent days, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday stated to constitute a Task Force at the Ministerial level in the State to deal with increasing cases of drug menace especially among students and youths.
In the Task Force, Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru said Home Minister Dr G. Parameshwar will head the Task Force while Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Minister of Higher Education, Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Minister of Social Welfare Department will be its members. The Task Force will hold periodical meetings and apprise the officials concerned on drug menace.
If needed, the Chief Minister said to amend laws or introduce new laws with aim to eradicate drug menace in the State, make drug abuse cases non-bailable and for the offences related to drugs it has been discussed to make minimum imprisonment of 10 years and maximum life imprisonment. A Special Court to try drug abuse cases will be established ,besides, setting up more rehabilitation and de-addiction centers in the State.
Among the districts, Chief Minister pointed out about 50 percent of drug menace cases have been reported from Bengaluru city alone while Mangaluru city reported about 22 percent of the drug abuse cases caught in Karnataka and other districts reported less cases. In Bengaluru city, the East part is having more drug menace/peddlers and stated “It might because of more foreign nationals residing in that particular part of the city.”
Among the arrested in drug menace cases, Chief Minister stated more Indians have been caught when compared with foreign nationals arrested. In 2021, he said, as many as 7, 571 Indians and 190 foreign nationals were arrested on drug abuse charges. There were 7737 Indians arrested in 2022 and 123 foreign nationals. In 2023, 8016 Indians and 105 foreigners were arrested for drug abuse. Till March this year, he said, 1021 Indians and 21 foreigners have been arrested by the police on drug abuse.
In reply to a question, Siddaramaiah said drugs are getting sneaked into the State mainly from Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha and stated a reported point fingers at crime cases such as stabbing, robbery among others have gone up by consumption of drugs.
