Woman ambulance driver bags Mangaluru Press Club’s maiden award

December 19, 2015

Mangaluru, Dec 19: CS Radhika, who is known for her significant contributions to society as an ambulance owner and driver in the city, has bagged the first Mangaluru Press Club Award 2015.

A jury including former vice-chancellor of Kannada University, Hampi, Viveka Rai, veteran theatre artist Sadananda Suvarna and Rita Noronha, professor, school of social work, Roshini Nilaya selected Radhika for the award.

A resident of Kulai Gudda in the city and owner of Cauvery Ambulance Service, 43-year-old Radhika has been serving as an ambulance driver with her own vehicle since 2002. At present, she has a fleet of 10 ambulances.

The award will be presented during Mangaluru Press Club Day celebrations to be held at Urwa Church Hall on December 22. Superintendent of Police Dr S D Sharanappa will present the award.

The award carries a cash prize of Rs 10,001 along with citation and memento. Lady behind wheels

Radhika’s husband, C S Suresh, an ambulance driver, introduced her to driving ambulance. The world turned upside down for Radhika, when her husband died in 2002. She was left with two daughters – aged seven and four – look after. As her husband was the only breadwinner of the family, an ambulance driver Sunil Kumar, a family friend, encouraged her to face the life with courage. He drives the ambulance in her fleet even to this day.

Radhika took up the challenge and became a full-time driver of the ambulance to take care of her family. She purchased ambulance by borrowing a loan from the bank.

Even to this day, she purchases a new ambulance once the loan borrowed for the previous one is repaid to the bank. The banks too have extended support to her. A total of seven drivers work under her as ambulance drivers.

She is ready to drive the ambulance at any odd hour and can drive up to 1,000 km at a stretch. She takes another driver along when she has to cover a long distance. She has driven ambulance to places like Jharkhand, Mumbai, Tamil Nadu and Bhopal.

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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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