UDUPI: The drug menace has been dealt with stringent action by MAHE, Manipal in Karnataka as it suspended as many as 42 students of various courses for a period of one month pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
Sources said that these 42 students were recently booked by the Manipal police in illegal drug consumption cases and based on this, the MAHE administration decided to suspend these students.
Though the illegal drug consumption cases were sporadic until recent years, there was a sudden surge in peddling and consumption cases particularly in Manipal and surrounding areas.
Students were the victims of the drug menace in most cases. This prompted the district police to go tough against violators. Several cases were registered with regard to drug consumption and peddling in the Manipal police station in recent months.
In an awareness programme held in Udupi a few months back, a senior citizen who resided in a residential flat in Manipal had complained to a senior cop that some students engaged in unethical activities by consuming drugs next to his door in the same flat. He had urged the cop to go tough on such violators.
A communique from MAHE, Manipal stated that it observed that few students studying in various courses had fallen prey to the drug menace.
‘‘These students have been subjected to internal investigation as per MAHE’s zero-tolerance policy against substance abuse. These students have been suspended until the completion of the internal investigation."
Sources said that those students have been now referred to MAHE student counsellors to transform them and assist them to lead normal life like others. MAHE administration also thanked the Udupi district police for identifying such students and helping them in their pursuit of creating a conducive learning environment.
Udupi SP Akshay M Hakay said that a list of students who engaged in drug trafficking and consumption in the last three months was given to MAHE after the narco analysis test results came positive on them. Based on that, MAHE suspended the students, he said. Stringent action against the drug menace will continue, SP added.