Will the drug menace in Dakshina Kannada stop?
The drug menace in the state has grabbed a lot of headlines recently. After a reported crackdown on one of the major drug rackets in the state’s capital, several sandalwood stars are said to be under the scanner of authorities for drug abuse. But Mangaluru in Dakshina Kannada has been a hub for the peddling and circulation of drugs in Dakshina Kannada District. This has resulted in compromising the future of the youth in the district and the administration has hardly put in any major efforts to combat the drug mafia.
Although the police have been seizing a large amount of drugs and arresting accused every now and then, it has failed to catch hold of the roots of this mafia and to nab their kingpins.
Several youngsters in Dakshina Kannada District have been trapped into this dangerous nexus of the drugs which has clouded uncertainty over their future and their families have been left with nothing but despair and pain.
Despite efforts of public awareness in the district and the efforts of the police department, the nexus has only expanded its wings across the district. The police department has been issuing and publishing reports of drug seizure and arrests of the accused which in fact has been making it evident that how the nexus has expanded itself in the district.
Drugs worth 38.60 lakh Rupees seized in two months in Mangaluru:
According to the data provided by the office of Mangaluru Police Commissioner, the police department has registered 18 cases drugs peddling, smuggling, and consumption between January and August 2020. 33 people have been arrested in these 18 cases reported under Mangaluru Commissionarate this year.
The department has seized drugs worth Rs. 40,30,150 which includes 146 kg Ganja, 30.14 grams MDMA, 153 MDM pills, and other drugs.
Interestingly, more than 90% of this seizure has come in the span of the last two months i:e July and August. The department has seized drugs worth Rs. 38, 60,300 in the two months.
Asserting that the menace of drugs in universal, the Mangaluru City Police Commissioner, Vikash Kumar admitted that since Mangaluru shares its borders with neighboring states, it becomes critical to pay extra attention to these issues. He also added that the city police were working in coordination with Hassan, Udupi, and DK District Police to cap the spread and peddling of these drugs among the residents.
“But to act accordingly, we will need the support and co-operation of the people. If they have any information on drugs or related activities they should share it with us which will enable us to crack the nexus down. We never want our youth and our society get trapped into this and we will everything that we can to stop this menace” Vikash Kumar said while talking to Vartha Bharati.
Vartha Bharati has repeatedly pressed upon the need of creating wider awareness among the people against the drugs mafia. We also launched a campaign in February 2020 against the nexus which had to be put on hold after publishing the first few issues of the campaign, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic spread.
Dakshina Kannada has been one of the major targets of drugs mafia in the coastal Karnataka and they’ve been smuggling these drugs to the district from other states. Kerala, Kasargod, Goa, and Maharashtra are some of the routes through which the drugs make its way into Dakshina Kannada mostly using train routes. Once it reaches Dakshina Kannada, the local peddlers use websites, email, and WhatsApp as a means to sell, book these drugs.
Even as the School and Colleges have remained closed since March this year due to COVID-19, the police department continues to bust drug rackets, arrest peddlers, and accused which calls for a wider introspection and a comprehensive action by the district administration against the nexus.
LSD is among one of the most sought drugs among the youngsters in the district who also have access to Brown Sugar, Heroin, Cocaine, Opium, MDMA, MDS, and others. Believed to be able to change and alter the emotions of people, the lethal LSD has made its way to Dakshina Kannada and is easily available to the seekers.
Dr. Shrinivasa Undaru Bhat, Professor at KS Hegde Medical Academy’s Department of Psychiatry says that the drug industry is the second most successful and wealthy industry in the world after the weapon industry. He believes that in Mangaluru the kingpins of the drugs mafia enroll themselves or their representatives in the colleges to market the drugs.
“This I can say from the experience of dealing with the victims who come to me for treatment and deaddiction of the drugs. So finding the roots of the network becomes a challenge for the police department. We have a dedicated ward for the treatment of drug addicts, apart from this, I have also dealt with at least 500 people at my clinic over the last 12 years who were victims of this nexus.
“In the beginning the victims begin with habits like smoking, consuming alcohol, and then get addicted to drugs gradually. They say it gives them pleasure and happiness. And once they are high, they forget all their stress and they will enjoy” he said.
A victim who had fallen into the trap of this nexus spoke to Vartha Bharati and explained his ordeal.
“In a bid to enjoy the life I fell into this trap. And it took me three years to realize its consequences and to come out of this. I am now using my experience to warn young people like me against getting into this. I have been there and I know how people suffer in this. So I want to save as many people as I can from getting into this and putting their careers and futures at risk” the victim said.
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Deep societal faultlines persist despite 75 years of independence: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
Judge cites denial of home to Muslim girl, opposition to Dalit women cooking mid-day meals
Hyderabad, February 23, 2026: Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has said that despite repeated affirmations of constitutional morality by courts, deep societal faultlines rooted in caste and religious discrimination continue to shape everyday realities in India.
Speaking at a seminar on “Constitutional Morality and the Role of District Judiciary” organised by the Telangana Judges Association and the Telangana State Judicial Academy in Hyderabad, Justice Bhuyan reflected on the gap between constitutional ideals and social practices.
He cited a recent instance involving his daughter’s friend, a PhD scholar at a private university in Noida, who was denied accommodation in South Delhi after her surname revealed her Muslim identity. According to Justice Bhuyan, the landlady bluntly informed her that no accommodation was available once her religious background became known.
In another example from Odisha, he referred to resistance by some parents to the government’s mid-day meal programme because the food was prepared by Dalit women employed as cooks. He noted that some parents had objected aggressively and refused to allow their children to consume meals cooked by members of the Scheduled Caste community.
Describing these incidents as “the tip of the iceberg,” Justice Bhuyan said they reveal how far society remains from the benchmark of constitutional morality even 75 years into the Republic. He observed that while the Constitution lays down standards of equality and dignity, the morality practised within homes and communities often diverges sharply from those values.
He emphasised that constitutional morality requires governance through the rule of law rather than the rule of popular opinion. Referring to the evolution of the doctrine through judicial decisions, he cited Naz Foundation v Union of India, in which the Delhi High Court read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, holding that popular morality cannot restrict fundamental rights under Article 21. Though the judgment was later overturned in Suresh Kumar Koushal v Naz Foundation, the Supreme Court ultimately restored and expanded the principle in Navtej Singh Johar v Union of India, affirming that constitutional morality must prevail over majoritarian views.
“In our constitutional scheme, it is the constitutionality of the issue before the court that is relevant, not the dominant or popular view,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also addressed the functioning of the district judiciary, underlining that trial courts are the first point of contact for most litigants and form the foundation of the justice delivery system. He stressed that due importance must be given to the recording of evidence and adjudication of bail matters.
Highlighting the role of High Courts, he said their supervisory jurisdiction under Article 227 of the Constitution is intended as a shield to correct grave jurisdictional errors, not as a mechanism to substitute the discretion or factual appreciation of trial judges.
He recalled that several distinguished judges, including Justice H R Khanna, Justice A M Ahmadi, and Justice Fathima Beevi, began their careers in the district judiciary.
On representation within the judicial system, Justice Bhuyan noted that Telangana has made significant strides in gender inclusion. Out of a sanctioned strength of 655 judicial officers in the Telangana Judicial Service, 478 are currently serving, of whom 283 are women, exceeding 50 per cent representation. He added that members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minority communities, and persons with disabilities are also represented in the state’s judiciary.
He observed that greater representation of women, marginalised communities, persons with disabilities, and sexual minorities would help make the judiciary more inclusive and reflective of India’s diversity. “The judiciary must represent all the colours of the rainbow and become a rainbow institution,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also referred to the recent restoration by the Supreme Court of the requirement of a minimum three years of practice at the Bar for entry-level judicial posts. While acknowledging that the requirement ensures practical exposure, he cautioned that its impact on women aspirants, especially those from rural or small-town backgrounds facing social and financial constraints, would need to be carefully observed over time.
Concluding his address, he reiterated that the justice system must strive to bridge the gap between constitutional ideals and lived realities, ensuring that the rule of law remains paramount.
