Mangaluru: Three students of NITK Surathkal, were caught by the college’s Anti-Drug Committee (ADC) after around 290 grams of ganja packed in several small packets, was allegedly found in their possession. City police commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy CH said the institution had stepped up surveillance and begun conducting checks following drug-awareness drives. During one such check, three students were allegedly found with ganja, and authorities alerted the police.Medical tests confirmed that the students had consumed the substance, and an FIR was registered under sections 8 (c) and 27 (b) of the narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances (NDPS) Act.The student who allegedly brought the ganja to the institution was produced before a magistrate. Considering that he is a student, the court granted him bail on surety. Police are pursuing the peddler for supplying ganja to the students. “This is an encouraging sign. Many colleges are now proactively conducting checks, and their anti-drug committees are functioning effectively. If all colleges demonstrate the same commitment, we can create drug-free healthy campuses in a short time,” the commissioner said.NITK reinforces drug-free campusNITK Surathkal is supporting the Central govt’s Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (NMBA) 2026, a nationwide campaign toward a drug-free India. In line with this national mission, NITK Board of Governors (BOG) has approved a policy titled ‘Safe, Serene and Inclusive Campus’, which highlights the harmful effects of narcotic substances and mandates strict compliance with the NDPS Act, 1985. The policy also bans tobacco, alcohol, and other intoxicants on campus, ensuring a safe and healthy environment.NITK maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward drug use and possession on campus, and the ADC conducts regular checks across hostels and campus premises as part of a sustained effort to keep the campus drug-free. The institute will continue to strengthen its monitoring mechanisms and work closely with local law enforcement on any further cases.
