10,556 drug peddlers arrested in Karnataka in last 3 yrs

Bengaluru, March 18 (IANS) Karnataka Police arrested 10,556 persons involved in drug peddling in the last three years and filed 7,943 cases in this connection, the state Legislature was told on Thursday.Replying to BJP legislative Councillor Mahantesh Kavatagimath's question, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the war on drugs is an ongoing process and it needs support from all quarters. "This problem can not be dealt with by the police alone... we need support from society as well. I want both Education and Health Departments to join hands with the police department to stem this rot," he said.Bommai said that the government did not succumb to any pressure in taking a tough stand on drugs-related cases. "Cotton pet drugs case is case in point, where we took on the mighty and the influential," he said, referring to what is known as the Sandalwood drugs case, involving some members of the Kannada film industry.
--IANS nbh/vd