
BHUBANESWAR : In a stern message to drug peddlers, Police commissioner S Dev Datta Singh on Thursday said stringent action would be initiated against those selling illegal products near educational institutions.
The caution came after Singh directed the cops to launch a massive drive against sale of tobacco products and drugs in the last two days. “Shopkeepers selling tobacco products near educational institutions are spoiling the future of students and younger generation. They are warned to immediately stop their illegal businesses or face strictest of action,” said Singh and urged them to start some other business or work under various schemes of the government.
Singh’s strongly-worded caution is also seen as a move against shopkeepers pushing drugs to youngsters. On the day, police carried out simultaneous raids across the city and its outskirts. Balianta police arrested four drug peddlers and seized 260 gm brown sugar worth `26 lakh as well as a car from them. Maitri Vihar police arrested five drug peddlers and seized 42 kg ganja valued at Rs 4 lakh.
At least 30 betel shops running near educational institutions also faced the raid and 16 persons were detained and gutkha along with cigarettes laced with ganja seized fromtheir possession.
Bhubaneswar DCP Pinak Mishra said three top priorities of police are to curb the sale of drugs, reduce road accidents by taking action against reckless and drunk drivers/manage traffic congestion, and to launch a crackdown against anti-socials committing street crimes like snatching of valuables.
Senior officers have also directed the police stations to carry out robust patrolling and blocking. They instructed to enhance police visibility in the city and asked the IICs to lead the various enforcement drives actively. The cops were also asked to give utmost importance to offences against women, incidents of ragging in educational institutions and violations like use of modified bike silencers.
This apart, police stations have been told to keep a close vigil on the anti-socials walking out of jails after securing bail. The specific instruction came after a woman, who was arrested last year under NDPS Act, and her three associates hacked a sanitary supervisor to death near the busy Rasulgarh Square here on January 8, just three days after she walked out of jail.