Speaking after the inauguration of a new building for Siddartha Nagar traffic police station near Kurubarahalli Circle in Mysuru, Parameshwara said Karnataka was being unfairly compared with Punjab. He asserted that state police were steadfast in their resolve to act against drug peddlers and would continue to deal with the offenders with a heavy hand. Parameshwara said cases were being registered every day against those involved in drug-related crimes in Bengaluru and across the state. He added several foreigners allegedly involved in drug trafficking were deported. Referring to Mysuru, the home minister said NCB arrested a person on charges linked to synthetic drug manufacturing in connection with a case in North India, but no raw materials were recovered here. He expressed surprise that later NCB issued a statement, claiming to have seized narcotic materials worth Rs 10. He also cited an earlier instance in which a unit from Maharashtra police had claimed to have recovered large quantities of drug-making materials in Mysuru. Parameshwara alleged such issues were being blown out of proportion, while intelligence inputs on the presence of 27 contentious chemical labs in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra were being downplayed. Parameshwara further said he had instructed jurisdictional police to closely monitor chemical factories within their jurisdiction and conduct regular inspections. He warned if any factory was found to be manufacturing banned substances, the jurisdictional police would be held responsible. Commenting on a Chennai-based consultancy firm’s report that cited Bengaluru as the safest place for women among 125 cities in India, the minister said he was proud of such a recognition.
