NDPS cases jump 11-fold in 2025; Police target users to break drug supply chain
Mysuru: The Mysuru City Police’s ‘Operation Vimukthi’ has emerged as a key initiative to curb narcotics-related activities in the city.
As part of the campaign, the Police introduced a dedicated WhatsApp helpline (82779-48080) to encourage citizens to report instances of drug consumption and peddling. The initiative has received a positive response from the public.
Speaking to Star of Mysore, City Police Commissioner Seema Latkar said that of the 65 complaints received through the WhatsApp helpline so far, four cases have been detected, leading to the seizure of narcotic substances and legal action against those involved.
In these cases, the Police identified two drug purchasers and one peddler and seized 62 grams and 49 grams of narcotic substances. Investigations are continuing into a complaint involving a paying-guest hostel and other youths suspected of drug consumption and peddling.
Urging citizens to use the helpline responsibly, she cautioned against lodging frivolous complaints and appealed to the public to provide only genuine information to assist the Police in their anti-drug campaign.
NDPS cases witness sharp rise
Mysuru City witnessed an unprecedented rise in cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in 2025, with the number of cases increasing more than eleven-fold compared to the previous year.
According to official data obtained from the City Police Commissioner’s Office under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 491 NDPS cases were registered in 2025, up from 43 in 2024 and 62 in 2023.
In 2026, till date, the Police have registered 236 NDPS cases, of which 199 relate to drug consumption. As many as 293 accused have been arrested, while 213 users or consumers have been profiled.
Overall, Mysuru City recorded 832 NDPS cases from 2023 to 2026. The number of cases in 2025 represented a 1,042 percent increase over 2024.
A closer analysis shows that the spike was largely driven by drug consumption cases, which accounted for 434 of the 491 cases registered in 2025.
Shift in enforcement strategy
Drug consumption cases stood at just three in 2024 and six in 2023, highlighting a significant shift in the Police’s enforcement strategy. Earlier, the focus was largely on drug traffickers, but in 2025 and 2026 the crackdown expanded to include drug users as well.
The intensified enforcement also resulted in a sharp increase in arrests. Mysuru City Police arrested 534 persons under the NDPS Act in 2025, compared to 87 in 2024 and 112 in 2023. In 2026, till date, 236 NDPS cases have been registered and 293 persons arrested.
Similarly, the number of drug users and consumers profiled by the Police rose to 434 in 2025, up from just three in 2024 and six in 2023, reflecting the increased emphasis on identifying consumers alongside traffickers.
Targeting demand to curb supply
Police officials said the strategy in 2025 focused heavily on consumers, based on the premise that eliminating demand is essential to disrupting supply. While action continued against drug traffickers and organised networks, equal emphasis was placed on identifying and booking users.
Despite the sharp increase in the number of cases, the quantity and value of narcotic substances seized declined in 2025. The Police seized 137.251 kg of narcotics during the year, compared to 379.604 kg in 2024 and 166.594 kg in 2023. In all, 683.449 kg of narcotic substances were seized over the three years.
The estimated value of the seizures also fell to Rs. 52,97,125 in 2025 from Rs. 1,07,54,025 in 2024. In 2023, the value of the seized drugs stood at Rs. 65,33,404. Altogether, narcotics worth Rs. 2,25,84,554 were seized during the three years.
Police seized 137 kg of ganja and 240 grams of synthetic drugs, valued at Rs. 92.5 lakh, in 2025. In 2026, seizures have included 329 kg of ganja and 315 grams of synthetic drugs worth Rs. 1.96 crore.
Action against street-level possession
The data suggests that while the Police registered substantially more cases in 2025, most involved relatively small quantities of narcotic substances, indicating greater action against individual users and street-level possession.
Among various categories of offences, ganja continued to account for highest number of cases. Police registered 54 ganja-related cases in 2025, compared to 37 in 2024 and 50 in 2023.
Cases involving MDMA also increased, rising from four in 2024 to 18 in 2025. Only one case involving hydro ganja was registered in 2025, while offences involving other narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances remained unchanged at one case each year.
Police data identifies Bengaluru, Chamarajanagar, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh as the major source locations and trafficking routes linked to narcotic substances detected in Mysuru City.
Positive public feedback
Residents have appreciated the positive changes brought about in R.S. Naidunagar and other areas. A resident of R.S. Naidunagar told us they are happy with the transformation. Children are once again playing freely in the park, while women and senior citizens are comfortably using it for walking and recreation. Most importantly, people involved in ganja consumption and other addictive activities are no longer gathering there.
— Seema Latkar, City Police Commissioner
| NDPS cases (2023-2025) Top 5 Police Stations |
| 1. Mandi Mohalla : 117 cases |
| 2. Udayagiri : 97 cases |
| 3. Narasimharaja : 91 cases |
| 4. CEN Police Station : 39 cases |
| 5. Metagalli : 34 cases |
(Mandi Mohalla, Narasimharaja and Udayagiri Police Stations account for 238 cases out of 491 cases, nearly 48 percent of all cases in Mysuru city booked under the NDPS Act.)
This post was published on July 19, 2026 7:30 pm