Telangana's anti-Drugs Machinery Gets Shot in Arm as KCR Orders Crackdown, Action Plan, Special Cell

Telangana should control drug use in the state with an iron hand, punish leaders of any political parties found involved, create awareness among people and take their cooperation with innovative ideas and programmes to check the menace, chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao has said. “Involve people for a social movement against drug use and sale in the state,” he said this week, and added that those who engage in this will be dealt with strictly. The CM said that recommendations from politicians for leniency in this regard will be refused.

The state would form 1,000 special teams of police to check drug abuse and act tough against the users and those involved, he said during a high-level meeting held at Pragathi Bhavan in Hyderabad.

Stating that any political leaders with involvement will not be spared, the CM ordered the setting up of a counterintelligence cell, efficient use of drugs control wings, encouraging of staff for effective work and appointment of 1,000 well-trained police personnel for the purpose.

The chief minister, popularly known as KCR, directed officials concerned to work out an expeditious plan in this regard and form special teams. Stressing on the need for a special action plan, he said that those involved of any level should be punished. KCR instructed chief secretary Somesh Kumar and director general of police (DGP) Mahender Reddy to initiate a process to act tough on drug use and sale in Telangana with more vigilance at the state borders.

He directed the ‘State Police and Excise Conference’ to begin immediate measures and action on the matter. State home minister Mahamood Ali, excise and tourism minister V Srinivas Goud, chief secretary, DGP, DGs, all district SPs, commissioners, DCPs, the state excise department SPs, and other officers attended the meeting.

The CM discussed the measures and guidelines to be followed. The police and excise departments will be put on further alert in this context.

KCR instructed the DGP to form a special Narcotic and Organised Crime Control Cell (counterintelligence cell) in the police department with 1,000 members. The special cell will work under the DGP and take stringent measures to control and eliminate drug abuse and organised crimes.

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