KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Thursday requested the Kochi police commissioner to appear before it to present a proposed plan of action for curbing drug abuse among children.
Ernakulam City police district has seen highest number of drug-related cases involving minors in the state. According to a report, the jurisdiction registered 53 NDPS cases against children in connection with usage from 2015 to 2024. Coming in next, Kottayam posted 21 cases.
A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice C Jayachandran, observed that the problem is particularly acute in Ernakulam City. The court issued the order in response to a petition filed by Sumi Joseph of Kothamangalam, who sought a directive for prompt and effective measures to curb the spread of drug menace among students and youth.
Advocate G Hariharan submitted that the statistics may not be accurate as there is a growing trend of teenage and young children being involved in NDPS cases.
An affidavit filed by the deputy secretary (home) revealed the number of cases registered against children below 18 years for drug usage across various districts.
The court noted that apart from this statistical data, no other materials were presented. It emphasised the need for a detailed analysis to ascertain the trend and reasons behind the rise in cases before effective measures can be taken.