Mysuru district police step up vigil on migrant workers amid drug concerns

Superintendent of Police Mallikarjuna Baladandi addressing a press conference in Mysuru on Friday. | Photo Credit: M.A. Sriram

The Mysuru district police have stepped up surveillance on people arriving from other States to take up agricultural activities, as well as migrant workers, amid suspicions that drugs are being transported in their luggage while travelling to Mysuru by train.

Inter-State drug rackets unearthed in Mysuru district so far were allegedly found to have links with peddlers and suppliers from States including Keralam, Odisha, Assam, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan, according to the police.

In a recent case registered within the limits of Ernakulam Rural Police in Keralam, the police arrested one Dhanish, a native of Alappuzha, and allegedly seized 7.78 grams of MDMA from his possession on November 8. Dhanish, who had been living in Hullahalli village in Nanjangud taluk since 2024, was reportedly engaged in banana cultivation on a leased farmland in the taluk. For the past six months, he had been staying in a rented house in Nanjangud town.

Sharing the details of the case and investigation to the presspersons here on Thursday, Superintendent of Police Mallikarjuna Baladandi said, “No cultivation of ganja or its storage had been found on the farmland leased by Dhanish or at his rented house in Nanjangud in connection with the case”.

However, an independent probe has been taken up by the district police following the arrest of Dhanish in Keralam. “We are tracking the sale of bananas by the accused and the vehicles used to transport the produce,” the SP said.

Dhanish was selling bananas through local markets in the region, while his alleged primary contacts were in Keralam. Preliminary investigations by the Keralam Police, along with information shared with the local police, indicated that he had allegedly procured narcotic substances from Bengaluru, the SP said.

In Nanjangud taluk, many people from neighboring States are engaged in ginger and banana cultivation on farmland taken on lease for two to three years. “I urge farmers to exercise caution while leasing out their land. If tenants who take land for cultivation, use it for illegal activities, everyone associated with that land could face problems. Landowners must ensure that the land is being used for the purpose for which it was leased out,” the SP said.

“If anyone notices illegal activities, they should bring them to our notice,” Mr. Balandandi said.

It may be recalled that in a drug seizure case reported within the limits of Hunsur Rural police station, the accused was from Maharashtra and was cultivating ginger on leased farmland.

Two months ago, the Bilikere police arrested three migrant workers, two from Odisha and one from Assam, for allegedly transporting ganja in packets weighing 5 kg to 10 kg on a train.

“We are aware of the supply of drugs to the district from other States and are maintaining strict vigil,” the SP added.

Ruling out the possibility of Mysuru becoming a safe haven for inter-State drug suppliers, the SP said, “Mysuru is a safe city. We are taking all necessary steps to tackle the menace.”

215 cases in district

As many as 215 drug-related cases have been reported in the district so far this year. Of these, around 35 cases pertain to drug trafficking, while the remaining 180 are related to drug consumption, said the SP.

Most of the drug consumption cases involve people in the 20–30 age group, with college dropouts and unemployed youth accounting for a significant number of those cases.

Information received from the public by the police reveal that small quantities of drugs were being sold through informal networks using ‘chits’. “We are targeting drug consumption cases. To create a sense of deterrence, we are intensifying checks in industrial areas, particularly among workers.”

Mr. Baladanri said, “We conduct random checks and tests to detect drug consumption in colleges to make students more cautious. Awareness programmes under the ‘Beda Bro’ campaign are being conducted at the taluk level and actively promoted on social media. This is a continuous process. Creating awareness among youth mainly students is very important.”

Published - November 12, 2026 09:03 pm IST