CM calls for high-level meeting to address widespread drug distribution and consumption in state

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has called for a high-level meeting to address widespread drug distribution and consumption in the state. The meet will be convened on March 24. Ministers, top police and excise officials will attend the meeting.

The meeting will assess the steps taken so far against drug abuse and the plans to be launched in the future. The police and excise have decided to conduct a joint operation in the wake of the seizure of ganja from the college hostel. The governor had also sought a report from the DGP on the spread of drug abuse in the state.

The chief minister has called a high-level meeting in the wake of the seizure of cannabis from the Kalamassery Government Polytechnic College hostel. One more has been arrested in the case of the seizure of ganja from the hostel. Anuraj, a third-year student who brought the stuff to the hostel, was arrested. Anuraj is from Kollam. He was taken into custody by the police last night. The police will also examine the financial transactions of the accused. The other accused had given statements to the police that Anuraj supplied the ganja. With this, six have been arrested in the case.

Meanwhile, a tenth-class student was held with cannabis at Poonjar in Kottayam. Six grams of cannabis was seized from him. The incident took place last night. The excise team conducted an inspection after he was seen in a suspicious situation. The excise authorities in Cherthala arrested a youth for growing two ganja plants near a shed in Pallipuram, where migrant workers live. He has been identified as Sahidul Islam (26) of Borigaon taluk in Assam's Marigaon. 260 grams of cannabis was found hidden under the bed where he lives. He works in an establishment in Pallipuram Industrial Park.