Over 50 cyclists, from four-and-a-half year old Samyuktha to 62-year-old Joseph Pereira, joined hands with Mangaluru City Police to create awareness against drug abuse here on Sunday.
Team WeRCycling, an association of professional riders, organised the rally to support the police in their initiative to spread the message against drug abuse.
The rally, which was flagged off at Mangala Stadium, passed through Lady Hill Circle, Lal Bagh, PVS Buildings, Bunts Hostel Circle, St. Agnes Institutions and M.G. Road before culminating at the start venue. Samyuktha, who rode confidently with WERC’s Harniish Raj, was the centre of attraction. A few cyclists, including Mr. Periera and Gururaj Krishnamurthy, joined the rally soon after completing their 400 km Mangaluru-Kumta-Mangaluru Brevet early in the morning.
K.K. Ramakrishna, Police Inspector with the police narcotic wing, elaborated the efforts behind creating awareness against drug abuse.
He said that with narcotic drugs abundantly available despite the best efforts by the police to curb their availability, people, particularly youngsters, should be aware of the ill-effects of drug consumption.
Barke Police Inspector Jyothirlinga C. Honnakatti said that life would be beautiful if people didn’t indulge in harmful activities, including alcohol and drug consumption. Quoting extensively from Kannada poets, Mr. Honnakatti urged people to lead a happy life without getting addicted to any bad habits. Leading a virtuous life would help do away all such evils in one’s life, he suggested.