Udupi, August 11, 2025 – In a bid to combat drug abuse and promote awareness, the Udupi District Police have established anti-drug and awareness committees in 166 colleges across the district, under the slogan “From Drugs to Awareness, Towards a Drug-Free India,” announced Superintendent of Police (SP) Hariram Shankar.
Speaking at a press conference in Udupi on Monday, SP Shankar explained that the initiative aims to prevent students from falling into the trap of substance abuse by fostering close coordination between college authorities and the police department. The committees have been formed in 120 pre-university colleges and 46 professional colleges, and will operate under the leadership of the Udupi District Collector.
Each committee will include the college principal, two staff members, and one student representative from each class, with a mandatory inclusion of at least two female students. The jurisdictional police station officer will serve as the nodal officer. Instructions have been issued to hold monthly committee meetings and organize awareness programs, the SP added.
Random Blood Tests for Students: As part of the drive, 10% of students in each college will undergo random blood tests on a quarterly basis. If any student tests positive for drug use, the information will be shared with the nodal officer.
SP Shankar emphasized that if drug consumption is detected, the student’s details will be kept confidential, and they will be provided with close counseling to facilitate rehabilitation. Colleges have been directed to obtain consent letters from all students before conducting medical examinations.
The District Health and Family Welfare Officer will deploy trained staff teams to designated locations for conducting these tests. In cases where students test positive, they will undergo counseling, and information about drug peddlers will be gathered and passed to the nodal officer for appropriate legal action.
At the district level, the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DYSP) from Udupi Town Police Station (mobile: 8277989100) has been appointed as the nodal officer, with the Karkala Assistant SP currently handling the role on an interim basis, the SP informed.