Police fan out to mansions across Coimbatore, to crack down on drug usage among students 

Amidst signs of rising drug usage among college students , the city police, in a surprise operation, held searches at several mansions across the city on Saturday morning, with the intent to create a deterrent effect.

Monitored by R. Stalin, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Coimbatore North, 180 personnel led by 18 Inspectors were involved in the operation carried out in 30 mansions across the city under the supervision of three Assistant Commissioners of Police.

The police seized four two-wheelers that lacked proper documents, and arrested Prasanth, an ex-convict from Virugambakkam in Chennai, currently a student at a college in the city. Seven suspects are also being questioned, Mr. Stalin said.

The police had earlier collected the details of the students who were regular drug users, from the peddlers who were arrested. The police could establish that the drug-peddlers in very many cases were former students who had moved to Coimbatore from elsewhere in the State to pursue higher education, and continued to stay in the mansions even after completion of their courses.

“We counselled the students against falling prey to drugs. The parents were not aware of the activities of their wards,” Mr. Stalin said.

Colleges, in the first place, ought to rule out criminal antecedents of applicants before admitting them, he emphasised.

A similar operation will be carried out in women’s hostels based on specific inputs by deploying women personnel, Mr. Stalin said.

Published - September 28, 2024 08:15 pm IST