Gauri murder: SIT to conduct narco test on Hindutva leader Naveen Kumar

News Network

March 13, 2018

Bengaluru, Mar 13: The special investigation team (SIT) probing the murder of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh will conduct a narcoanalysis test on accused K T Naveen Kumar, a Hindutva leader and gunrunner.

The 8th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) court, on Monday, allowed the SIT to conduct narco-analysis tests on Naveen Kumar, a leader of Hindu Yuva Sene, who was arrested and named as one of the accused in the case on March 9.

The court also remanded Kumar in police custody until March 26.

The SIT had made Kumar an accused in Gauri murder case after they discovered with evidence that he had conspired to murder writer K S Bhagawan. He also had information about Gauri's killers and SIT strongly suspected that he is trying to 'protect' them, said SIT sources. Hence he will be an accused in Gauri's case for harbouring them, they added.

Earlier, the SIT, while producing Kumar before the court, had submitted an audio and video footage where Kumar is seen consenting for the tests, but when he was brought before the magistrate, he refused. The court then reserved its order for allowing the police to carry out the tests for Monday.

On Monday, when Kumar was produced, he told the magistrate that he is ready to undergo the tests and let the truth come out.

The court then permitted the police to carry out the scientific tests. Kumar, who will be in police custody until March 26, will be taken to the Ahmedabad Forensic Science Laboratory on an available date.

Kumar met his advocate on Sunday while in custody and asked him about the scientific tests. After the advocate briefed him about the tests, Kumar agreed to undergo the tests seeing it as a chance to prove his innocence, SIT sources said.

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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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