Karnataka govt forms anti-narcotic task force to tackle drug menace in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: In a decisive move to curb the escalating drug crisis in the state capital, the Karnataka government has constituted a dedicated Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF).
According to a government order, cited by Deccan Herald on Monday, the newly formed task force will be overseen by Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG&IGP) M.A. Saleem. The team will report to Pronab Mohanty, Director General of Police, Cyber Command.
The task force will comprise 10 newly designated positions, including four Additional Superintendents of Police and two Assistant Commissioners of Police. In total, the unit will be staffed by 56 police staff, including two police inspectors and four police sub-inspectors.
The 56 officers have been taken away from the Anti-Naxal Force and assigned to the narcotics task force, the order read.
In addition, the order mentioned a restructuring of police units handling technology-related offences. All 43 Cyber, Economic and Narcotics (CEN) crime police stations across Karnataka have now been renamed as cyber crime police stations. These stations have been instructed to focus on cases related to cybercrime and to register offences under the Information Technology (IT) Act and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) pertaining to computer-related crimes.
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Smriti Mandhana named BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year for 2025
New Delhi (PTI): Star batter Smriti Mandhana, who played a pivotal role in India's historic 2025 Women's World Cup triumph, was named the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year for 2025 at a glittering function here on Monday.
Chess prodigy Divya Deshmukh won the Emerging Player of the Year award, for her historic FIDE Women's World Cup triumph at just 20.
Preethi Pal was named the Para-Sportswoman of the Year, for winning two bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Paralympics in track and field, while Anjali Bhagwat was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising her pioneering career as India's first woman shooter to reach an Olympic final and her trailblazing success on the world stage.
Mandhana, who is currently touring Australia with the Indian team for multi-format bilateral assignments, said in a video message: "Thank you BBC for giving me the awardfor Best Sportswoman of the Year. 2025 was a special year for women's cricket, especiallytowards the end we had a World Cup and I'm happy I could contribute and help India win matches.".
At 29, the left-handed batter is already among the game's greats, with the second-highest number of centuries in women's One Day Internationals and ranking third in total runsscored among current players worldwide.
Hailing from Sangli city in Maharashtra, the affable Mandhana was inspired by her father and brother, both of whom played cricket at the district level.
In September last year, she made a 50-ball hundred against Australia – the fastest 50 over international ton (men and women) by an Indian in the format, breaking Virat Kohli's record.
The award winners were decided by a distinguished grand jury comprising Leander Paes, Deepa Malik, and Anju Bobby George.
Praising the athletes' achievements CEO of BBC News, Jonathan Munro said: "Congratulations to this year's winners who showcase the very best in sporting excellence. The BBC World Service is committed to bringing such stories of human endeavour and outstanding success to audiences across India and around the world.".
Additionally, the ceremony also celebrated a wide spectrum of talent and impact, recognizing star performers and changemakers for redefining the landscape of Indian sport.
BBC Star Performers of the Year 202.
• Indian Women's Cricket Team: for their historic World Cup victory.
• Ekta Bhyan, Deepthi Jeevanji and Preethi Pal: for their trailblazing performances at the World Para Athletics Championship.
• Indian Women's Cricket Team for the Blind: for their inspiring World Cup victory.
• Indian Women's Kabaddi Team: for their smashing victory in World Cup.
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BBC Changemakers of the Year 202.
• Indian Women's Ice Hockey Team: for breaking barriers in a non-traditional sport.
• Rajbir Kaur: Indian field hockey player and former captain of the women’s national team.
• Savita Punia: Indian field hockey player and current member of the national team.
• Paani Devi: recognised for her impactful contribution to grassroots sport.
