Protests mark Bharat bundh in Mangalore

[email protected] (CD Network, Photos by Suresh Vamanjoor)

September 20, 2012

Mangalore, September 20: Series of protests and demonstrations against United Progressive Alliance government marked the Bharat bundh in the coastal city of Mangalore on Thursday.

The day long strike was called by the National Democratic Alliance and other opposition parties to protest against the recent hike in diesel price, cap on supply of subsidised cooking gas cylinders and for allowing foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail sector by the UPA government.

Activists of local units of Bharatiya Janata Party, Communist Party of India (Marxists) and Janata Dal (Secular) staged separate protests in Mangalore.

Dozens of BJP workers staged a protest near PVS circle in the city and raised slogans against Congress-led union government.

Speaking on the occasion Mangalore MP Nalin Kumar Kateel said that people had come out in large numbers to support the shutdown. "The BJP has called for shutdown to raise the voice against the insensitive union government on behalf of people, and the people have extended their support," he said.

"We are protesting against anti-national and anti-people policies of Congress-led government and we have come out in support of the people. Because of the wrong policies of the government, the prices of petrol are touching the sky and are being raised frequently. We demand a rollback of petrol prices" he said.

In a separate protest staged in front of the office of Deputy Commissioner in Mangalore, CPI (M) and DYFI activists lashed out at the Centre, which according to them is a puppet controlled by colonial powers.

Raising slogans against FDI in retail, a group of JD(S) workers held a demonstration outside the office of Deputy Commissioner, where M G Hegde, State Secretary of the party, slammed the Congress for being indifferent to the problems of the people.

It is worth mentioning here that this is the third time that the BJP and Left parties are coordinating their agitations since the last Lok Sabha elections to give the impression of a wider opposition unity on issues concerning people. Similar agitations against petrol price hike had happened on July 5, 2010 and May 31, 2012.

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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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