Mangaluru police arrest two in ganja peddling, seize 1.1 kg of narcotics
Mangaluru: Police have arrested two persons involved in ganja peddling and seized narcotic substances during a raid conducted within the limits of the Ullal police station in the city.
According to Deccan Herald, acting on a tip-off, a team of officers from Ullal police station carried out a raid at a public place near Bagambila in Kotekar village of Ullal taluk.
The police received information that three individuals were selling ganja to customers and college students.
During the raid, police apprehended two persons, while another accused managed to flee from the spot on a scooter.
The arrested have been identified as Sheikh Arbaz and Rasheed Alvin, both hailing from Uppala in Kasargod, while Altaf fled during the raid.
Police seized 1.1 kg of ganja, estimated to be worth Rs 51,500, along with Rs 520 in cash, two mobile phones and other materials from the possession of the accused.
A case has been registered at Ullal Police Station under Sections 8(c) and 20(b) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and further investigation is underway.
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Hindu Ekta Sammelanams in Kerala mask sangh outreach through temple gatherings
Kochi: Temple premises in several parts of Kerala have been increasingly organizing programs calling for Hindu unity as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh celebrates its centenary year with outreach events across the country.
The News Minute reported that one such programme held on February 28 near Edappally in Kochi began with traditional performances, including chenda melam and a Thiruvathira dance at the Anjumana Devi temple ground, and transitioned into a “Hindu Ekta Sammelanam”. Organisers were quoted as saying that the objective of the event was “to bring together members of different Hindu communities by transcending caste, regional and linguistic differences.”
The RSS is celebrating its centenary year by nationwide series of conferences. These began on October 2, 2025. Reports indicate that more than one lakh such meetings are planned across India in 2026, with over 1,000 events scheduled in Kerala between February and March.
At the Edappally programme representatives of the Hindu Aikya Vedi and other spiritual leaders expressed their thoughts. Hindu Aikya Vedi state president R V Babu said the events are organised to strengthen a sense of unity among Hindus and encourage people to move beyond caste divisions.
Participants at the gathering included members of various organisations such as the Nair Service Society, Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam and representatives of other community groups. Some attendees said they viewed the events primarily as religious or cultural programmes organised around temples in their localities.
Criticizing the gatherings, leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) said that temple premises are being used to advance a political agenda under the cover of religious and cultural programs. The party’s youth wing, the Democratic Youth Federation of India, has opposed some of the events at the local level, arguing that religious spaces should not become platforms for ideological mobilisation.
Some attendees clarified that they participated viewing the programmes as temple-based community events rather than political meetings. Others acknowledged that discussions during the sessions included references to electoral participation and broader social themes.
Similar objections were raised in Kozhikode district, where local CPI(M) workers opposed a gathering linked to a temple committee. He argued that religious spaces should not be used for political mobilization, when Kerala is expected to go to Assembly polls in 2026.
