Ramya is back in Mandya, visits farmers' homes

July 29, 2015

Mandya, Jul 29: The farmer suicides issue is bringing some Congress leaders out of political hibernation. Just weeks after former Union minister SM Krishna visited affected families of farmers in Mandya with cheques in hand, former MP and actor Ramya too made a surprise visit on Tuesday.

She called on the families of farmers who had committed suicide. This is her first visit to the constituency following her defeat in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. The visit comes days after actor-minister and Mandya MLA MH Ambareesh faced flak when he went to meet be reaved families.

Ramya's trip also underlined the lack of coordination between the government and the Congress party unit in its handling of the issue. The actor's visit to the families after obtaining details from the local administration has not gone down well with some Congress workers, who are peeved at not being taken into confidence.

Moreover, CM Siddaramaiah and agriculture minister Krishna By regowda were taken by surprise when the party high command sought a report from SM Krishna on the causes for the crisis and measures taken to contain it. KPCC president G Paramesh wara has already %submitted an independent report, where he said 178 farmers have committed suicide since April 1.

Next week, AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi is expected to visit Mandya and a district in north Karnataka to meet farmers' kin. Sources close to Ramya claimed that her fact-finding trip is a precursor to Rahul's.

The actor first stopped at Panakanahalli village, on the outskirts of Mandya city. She met the kin of farmer Mahesh who committed suicide due to mounting debts. Later, she met the family of deceased Shivalinge Gowda at Honnayakanahalli village, which was visited by the CM recently. Her aides said she gave away Rs 50,000 each to the families. Ramya too faced embarrassing moments when some party workers questioned her long absence. She explained she had fractured her leg and promised to return soon.

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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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