Silvester Dsouza
Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Mar 12:  In an operation conducted late night near KSRTC bus stand in the town on Tuesday March 11, the policemen arrested a person found to be carrying ganja. The man has been accused of supplying ganja to various places between Bhatkal and Kundapur.

The arrested person has been identified as Muhammed Iqbal (37), son of Abdul Khader, living in five cents colony near Arehole Bypass in the taluk. In addition to ganja as above, cash amounting to Rs 1,800 and a cell phone were recovered from his possession. The value of ganja seized from the accused has been roughly estimated at Rs 14,000.

A team led by local deputy superintendent of police, C B Patil, acting on reliable information, went to KSRTC bus station in the town and took Iqbal, who was found to be trying to sell ganja there, into custody. Reportedly, Iqbal used to buy ganja from Bhatkal and sell the same in small quantities at various places.

It is believed that several rackets involved with selling of drugs including ganja are active in the region. More and more youth, particularly college students, are believed to have been becoming victims of this vicious racket. A few months back, personnel of Udupi district crime intelligence bureau had arrested a person named Escape Ibrahim from Kota. Two persons said to be in possession charas were apprehended by the local police from a private apartment in Tallur near here.

The people of the taluk, who have turned apprehensive about their own kith and kin becoming drug addicts, have asked the police to be more proactive, and nip the rackets involved with trafficking and selling drugs in towns and rural places alike, in the bud.