Drug cases, arrests dip 90% in Karnataka

BENGALURU: Drug-related cases and arrests came down in Karnataka last year, with both police and the Narcotics Control Bureau saying it is in line with the nationwide trend and crediting it to sustained enforcement drives.
But the dip in Karnataka is the sharpest at 90% as against 22-23% in the country, raising doubts about the data from the ministry of home affairs (MHA). According to MHA figures, the number of cases in Karnataka for 2018 stood at 104, resulting in 187 arrests, compared to 1,121 cases and 1,841 arrests in 2017.

The data includes arrests and cases by both Karnataka police and the NCB.A senior official in the NCB regional office said, “Since we only look at big cases, our annual average is about 20 cases, and this time we have reported 26.”
While this is in line with the annual trend, the massive decline is seen in the number of cases registered and investigated by state police. ST Ramesh, former DG, Karnataka police, said the data should look at the quantum of seizure and quality of narcotic substances seized.
“There has been a sharp decline in the number of cases because of a multi-pronged approach employed by police. We’ve been actively cracking down on drug peddlers across the state, especially in the past year, after the problem of drug abuse was raised multiple times in the assembly,” said Kamal Pant, ADGP (law and order).
While data for the quantum of seizures and value aren’t immediately available, Ramesh said: “...Drug-related cases pertain to enforcement of a special law, which means that nobody comes and files a complaint. Police must be proactive and develop a network of sources and investigate based on tip-offs.”
Punjab, Kerala top chart
The MHA data shows — in line with the past trend — that Punjab and Kerala top the chart with most number of cases, which also indicates how rampant the drug scene in these states are.
As per the data, Punjab reported 7,869 cases and 9,031 arrests, while Kerala saw 6,616 cases and 7,477 arrests. Both these states, just like most of the country, also reported lower numbers when compared to 2017. Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh occupy third and fourth spots, while other large states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh also contributed to the figures.
Overall, 36,057 cases were reported in the country last year that resulted in 43,576 arrests compared to 47,344 cases and 56,006 arrests in 2017.
States With Most Drug-Related Cases
State
2018 (Cases/Arrests)
2017 (Cases/Arrests)
2016 (Cases/Arrests)
Karnataka
104 | 187
1,121 | 1,841
645 | 1,096
Punjab
7,869 | 9,031
12,439 | 13,958
5,821 | 7,019
Kerala
6,616 | 7,477
8,440 | 8,915
5,465 | 6,472
UP
6,202 | 6,331
6,693 | 6,734
6,264 | 6,388
MP
1,734 | 2,300
1,336 | 1,773
830 | 1,140
All-India
36,057 | 43,576
47,344 | 56,006
31,535 | 38975
Source: Ministry of home affairs