Mysuru Police, please tackle drug traffic first, vehicular traffic next

Sir,

The frequent reporting of drug-related cases in Mysuru city raises serious concerns about the effectiveness and prioritisation of law enforcement.

While the drug menace appears to be steadily spreading, particularly amongst the youths, the response from the law enforcement authorities seems misaligned with the gravity of the problem.

There is a growing public perception that law enforcement efforts are disproportionately focused on routine traffic violations, such as checking helmetless two-wheeler riders, rather than on the prevention and detection of serious crimes.

Traffic regulation is undoubtedly important and helmet use must be encouraged in the interest of public safety.

However, when such enforcement appears to overshadow action against organised crime and drug trafficking, questions naturally arise about priorities.

It is also disconcerting that while local Police say there is no drug manufacturing in city, on several occasions, agencies from outside the State, including specialised forensic teams, have conducted raids and busted drug manufacturing units in Mysuru!

This creates an unfortunate impression that local enforcement machinery is either overstretched or insufficiently empowered to tackle the growing drug problem independently. This, in turn, brings a sense of psychological unease to ordinary good citizens.

During recent travel through cities such as Surat, Vadodara and Ahmedabad in Gujarat, one notices a markedly different approach to traffic enforcement, with minimal visible policing focused on helmet violations.

This contrast inevitably leads to public debate, not about whether helmet laws are necessary, but about whether enforcement strategies are proportionate and context-sensitive. More alarmingly, recent studies by reputed agencies in Mysuru have revealed that drug abuse is alarmingly prevalent in and around schools and colleges.

This places young students at grave risk of addiction to narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, threatening not only individual futures but the social fabric at large.

The issue, therefore, is not about relaxing traffic rules, but about recalibrating enforcement priorities.

Crime prevention, intelligence-based policing and dismantling drug networks must take precedence if Mysuru is to be protected from the long-term consequences of drug menace, both manufacturing and use.

Failure to act decisively could tarnish the fair name of Mysuru and inflict untold misery on families and communities.

It is high time that law enforcement agencies strengthen local capabilities and bring the real culprits to book so that society, especially its younger generation, is safeguarded from long-term negative consequences.

– P. Rajan, K.C. Layout, 4.2.2026

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