CM Siddaramaiah directs strict security measures in Bengaluru ahead of New Year
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday instructed police officers to take strict action to prevent any untoward incidents during New Year celebrations here.
The chief minister held a meeting with officials from various departments, including the police, during which he was briefed on precautionary measures put in place.
"All precautionary measures should be taken for the safety of women during the New Year celebrations. It should be ensured that no untoward incident occurs," Siddaramaiah was quoted as saying in a statement issued by his office.
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He also directed that arrangements be made to ensure a large number of Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) buses are available after midnight to facilitate people returning home safely after celebrations.
Steps should be taken to prevent overcrowding at key areas, including Mahatma Gandhi Road, Brigade Road, Church Street, Koramangala, and Indiranagar, he said, adding that modern technology should be deployed appropriately to manage the crowds.
Noting that 20,000 personnel have been deployed in Bengaluru for security, Siddaramaiah said, "This time we are deploying 1,200 police officers from other districts. Women police should be deployed in large numbers. Chennamma forces should be actively deployed."
He said 4 control rooms, 78 watchtowers, 164 women’s help desks, and 55 ambulances have been arranged to ensure smooth New Year celebrations in the city, and pointed out that 3,500 drink-and-drive cases have been registered in the past three days.
The chief minister added that two-wheeler traffic will be stopped on 50 flyovers in the city on New Year’s Eve.
Instructing authorities to maintain constant vigil on miscreants, he said, "Activities such as wheeling of bikes should not be allowed, and strict measures should be taken to control drug-related activities. These activities cannot be tolerated under any circumstances."
Home Minister Parameshwara, Chief Minister’s Political Secretary Naseer Ahmed, Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, State Director General of Police M A Salim, City Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh, GBA Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao, and senior police officers were present at the meeting.
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Gujarat ATS busts illegal alprazolam facility in Rajasthan with local cops; 3 held
Ahmedabad (PTI): The Gujarat ATS and Rajasthan Police jointly busted an illegal alprazolam-making factory in the neighbouring state and arrested three men with 22 kg of psychotropic substances and the drug, valued at Rs 30 lakh, officials said on Monday.
The accused had rented a pharmaceutical unit to manufacture the drug, prescribed for anxiety and panic disorders, in an industrial area near Bhiwadi town of Rajasthan.
Alprazolam falls under the purview of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act because of its misuse as a psychotropic substance, according to an official release.
Acting on specific inputs, personnel of Gujarat ATS and Rajasthan Police raided the unit on Sunday, leading to the arrest of Anshul Shastri, Akhilesh Maurya, and Krishnakumar Yadav.
Police recovered 5 kg of alprazolam and 17 kg of a mixture of other psychotropic substances used as raw material, taking the total seizure to 22 kg, valued at around Rs 30 lakh, said the release.
The substances were allegedly being manufactured illegally without any authorisation or licence, and were meant for sale in the illicit drug market.
A preliminary investigation suggested that one of the arrested accused, Shastri, was involved in sourcing raw materials required for manufacturing alprazolam through his trading firm, according to the release.
Shastri and his business partner Maurya took a pharma unit in Bhiwadi on rent with the help of Yadav, a chemist versed in the production process, it said.
Rajasthan Police registered an FIR at the Bhiwadi sector-3 police station following the raid under relevant sections of the NDPS Act and are investigating further.
