Missing Mangaluru youth found; gives clean chit to cop-turned-politician

coastaldigest.com news network
December 3, 2018

Mangaluru, Dec 3: In a relief for Mangaluru’s cop-turned-politician Madan, who was blamed for the disappearance of a 19-year-old youth, the latter has told the cops that he had left home on his own.

Vinayaka (19), who was a second-year student of aeronautical engineering at Karavali College in the city, was missing for nearly two months. His parents, who suspected Madan’s hand behind his missing, had filed a habeas corpus in the high court.

According to a source in the police department, Vinayaka was found in Kerala’s Kochi. The sources said that Vinayaka was unhappy with his parents and hence decided to pursue his life, independently, away from them.

The source said the youth had nothing to say against Madan. Vinayaka had joined a fish meal firm to earn his livelihood.

A lookout message issued by the city police helped the police trace Vinayaka. He has been brought to the Urwa police station.

After quitting his police sub-inspector job, Madan had contested as an independent candidate from Mangaluru City South constituency in the assembly elections. Vinayaka, who was highly influenced by Madan’s speeches, joined the poll campaign in his support.

The bond between the two intensified to such an extent that Vinayaka began living at Madan’s residence and assisted him in all his work in the state and outside it. However, on October 8, he went missing from Madan’s house.

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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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