Neighbourhood watch intensified in Mangaluru city limits

MANGALURU: The city police has intensified its efforts under the neighbourhood watch initiative, following the Mangaluru cooker blast case on November 19.
ADGP law and order Alok Kumar had asked the city police to strengthen the neighbourhood watch system, to keep a tab on anti-national activities.
The neighbourhood watch includes educating residents of a community on security and safety, and achieving safe and secure neighbourhoods. In this connection, the city police is gathering data at the station level, on paying guest facilities, as well as premises (accommodation) that have been rented out.
This system has reportedly helped the police crack a marijuana trafficking case, in which 10 accused, including an overseas citizen of India, a medical officer, MBBS interns and dental student have been nabbed in connection with ganja peddling and consumption, said city police commissioner N Shashi Kumar.
He said, “While the police are gathering data on paying guest facilities, as well as premises that have been let out on rent, it is also important for professional educational institutions to keep a tab on the activities of students within the campus, especially those who are spending long years on campus.”
For instance, Neel Kishorilal Ramji Shah, an overseas citizen of India, who was arrested in the case, is from the UK, and has been residing in Mangaluru for the past 15 years. During the preliminary investigation, he claimed that he has been a student at a dental college for the past several years. “We are verifying the details. He was allegedly involved in supplying and peddling ganja to medical and dental students,” Shashi Kumar said.
7 NDPS cases booked in January
The city police will keep a close watch on professional and other educational institutions, as part of its campaign against drugs, especially since most students are back on campus this academic year, after the pandemic.
In the last 10 days, the city police arrested seven persons, and booked seven cases under the NDPS Act. The police seized 15g of MDMA, 4kg of ganja and 8g of methamphetamine. The total value of the seized items is Rs 1.9 lakh.
Meanwhile, last year, the city police booked 398 cases under the NDPS Act, and arrested 511 persons. The seized items include 192 kg and 408g of ganja, 596g of MDMA, 67g of opium and 57g of methamphetamine. The total value of the seized narcotics is Rs 59 lakh.