Hi-tech prostitution racked busted after cops raid lodge in Mangaluru

[email protected] (CD Network | Chakravarthi)

July 22, 2016

Mangaluru, Jul 22: A hi-tech prostitution racket has been busted by the Mangaluru city police by arresting a flesh trade kingpin who used to lure women at marriage functions and attract customers through a website.

The accused identified as Shabari alias Vikram (26), a native of Kadugodu in Bengaluru, was nabbed and a young girl who was pushed into the flesh trade was rescued following a raid on Surya Lodge near Hampankatta bus stand in the heart of the city.

The accused and the woman were caught red handed when Inspector Kalavathi, ASI Poornima and Police Constable Nagarathna knocked the door of Room No. 103 on the first floor of the lodge on Thursday.

Mangaluru City Police Commissioner M Chandra Sekhar said that the accused, who was also running a catering business in Mangaluru for the last few years, had advertised his mobile number 8880708075 and details about girls on a foreign registered website named Locanto'.

He said that the flesh trade was operated in two cities-Mangaluru and Bengaluru. The accused were frequently shifting their locations. A women police team was tracking them for the last few days and zeroed in at a lodge in Mangaluru, finally.

Another main accused, identified as Manjunath alias Manju and two women are still at large, the top cop said adding that at least 15 girls might have been pushed into flesh trade by this racket.

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Naren is hiding in singapore/Thailand or finally in kaup.

Naren and Bopanna are missing

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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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