Angry villagers storm stone quarry, set afire vehicles, attack owner

Davangere, Jan 31: Hundreds of residents of Doddabbigere near Santhebennur in the district barged into stone crusher units in the village and set fire to bikes, trucks and a generator on Sunday night. They were protesting against the damage to their houses and properties caused by stone-quarrying activities.

Hanumantha, the owner of the unit and several labourers in the stone crusher units were injured in the clashes between them and the village residents.

The residents staged a snap protest, urging the government and the district administration to ban stone quarrying in the village.

The stone quarrying activities, going on in the village for years, had resulted in drinking water scarcity, pollution and cracks in the houses, they said.

The road connecting their villages were damaged due to the movement of stone-laden trucks, the protestors said. Senior police officials visited the spot. Two platoons of KSRP have been deployed there. Thirteen residents of Doddabbigere have been booked for the incident. Hundreds of residents have left the village, fearing arrests. One bike, an earthmover, generator, several trucks belonging to various stone crusher units were damaged in the incident. Police estimated the losses at Rs 35 lakh. The Chikkajajur police have registered a case.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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