Bengaluru (PTI): With the arrest of two foreign nationals, police on Wednesday said they have seized over 10 kg of MDMA crystal and eight kg of hydro ganja, with an estimated market value of around Rs 28.75 crore.

The arrests were made by the Bengaluru City Central Crime Branch (CCB) Narcotics Wing as part of ongoing operations against drug peddlers, officials said. The identities of the arrested foreign nationals have not been disclosed.

According to the statement, a foreign woman residing in Sampigehalli had been storing MDMA at her residence and selling it to known customers. During a recent raid, the woman was detained, and 9 kg 254 grams of MDMA crystal worth approximately Rs 18.50 crore, along with a mobile phone and other items used in the crime, were seized.

In a separate operation in Siddapura Police Station limits, police acted on information about a foreign national frequently loitering near the basketball court close to Lalbagh South Gate and allegedly involved in drug peddling.

A raid led to the arrest of the suspect, and 1 kg 115 grams of MDMA crystal worth around Rs 2.25 crore, along with items used in the crime, were seized.

Further, based on intelligence from Customs officials regarding prohibited narcotic substances found in parcels at the Foreign Post Office in Chamarajpet, police conducted an operation and seized eight kg of hydro ganja valued at around Rs eight crore.

Police said the accused had purchased the hydro ganja from foreign sources, packaged it systematically, and arranged for it to be brought to Bengaluru. Investigations are ongoing to trace others involved.

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Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka has accused the Congress government of using the hijab issue to placate what he described as discontent among minority voters after the Davanagere by-election.

In a post on X on Wednesday, Ashoka alleged that the state government, instead of addressing issues such as price rise, corruption, farmers’ distress and law and order, was attempting to retain its minority vote base by reviving the hijab issue.

Referring to the 2022 dress code introduced by the BJP government, which prohibited hijab in schools and colleges, Ashoka said the Karnataka High Court had upheld the policy and emphasised the importance of discipline in educational institutions.

He questioned the Congress government’s move to revisit the issue and asked whether setting aside the court-backed policy to benefit one community could be described as secularism.

Ashoka further alleged that while the government was willing to permit hijab, it continued to prohibit saffron shawls.

He accused the government of dividing students on religious lines rather than treating schools and colleges as spaces of equality.

Drawing a comparison with Mamata Banerjee’s government in West Bengal, Ashoka claimed that excessive appeasement politics had harmed the state and warned that the Congress in Karnataka could face a similar political response.

He said voters in Karnataka would teach the Congress a lesson for what he termed “vote-bank politics” and for compromising constitutional and judicial principles.