Mysuru: Mysuru district police, who booked 55 NDPS violation cases, including 44 ganja consumption cases, in the last two months, appointed one constable in each police station as ‘Sanmitra’ (Good friend) to monitor the activities of ganja consumers.Superintendent of police, Mysuru, Mallikarjun Baladandi, said that, following a direction from DG&IGP to appoint constables as Sanmitras in all police stations, Mysuru district police appointed one in all 23 police stations across the district.The aim is to monitor the activities of ganja consumers and identify the source from which they buy the banned narcotic substances. They must also convince them to quit the addiction, the SP stated.Baladandi, in response to a query, said it helped the district police tackle the ganja menace in the district. Of the 55 cases, about 15 were booked in 11 cases of peddling ganja and synthetic drugs.Police also cracked down on those selling lottery tickets from Kerala in the border areas and arrested the accused. Police are keeping a hawk eye on them, as two persons were repeatedly involved in selling lottery tickets at higher prices in Karnataka, the SP stated.Team of constablesThe initiative of forming a team of four constables in each police station to crack the cases registered in 2024 and 2025 facilitated them in cracking 24 cases in the last two months. Police recovered stolen property worth Rs 29.9 lakh from those arrested.SP Mallikarjun Baladandi, on Monday, told reporters that police cracked one dacoity case, two robbery cases, seven house break-ins, and eight thefts.Police cracked a robbery case reported in Bilikere police station in Feb by arresting five accused, who attacked staff at a petrol station and took away cash.The members were from different districts, but teamed up while they were in jail, the SP explained. Soon after they were out on bail, the five planned a crime, only to be arrested in less than one month.About the Hunsur jewellery shop heist, police have so far arrested four individuals, and seven others, including those who took away 8kg of gold, are at large. All 11 accused were identified, and they are from Bihar, the SP explained. So far, police have recovered 60g of gold from the four arrested persons.
