Mangaluru: A mega marathon with the participation of nearly 20,000 people, including students, will be organised as part of the ‘Drug-Free Mangaluru’ campaign. This event is being organised by the Make A Change Foundation (MACF) and Mangaluru City police. Suhail Kandak, 2founder and chairman of the MACF, told reporters on Thursday, that the marathon will be organised in the last week of Jan, 2026. Meanwhile, 100 awareness programmes against drug abuse will be held in schools and colleges across Dakshina Kannada.“We already held six awareness campaigns on college campuses in the district. Awareness programmes evoked positive responses, with many parents seeking help to free their children from the clutches of drug addiction. We arranged counselling for seven students through the Born Again Recovery Centre,” he said.A poster campaign organised in the district saw the participation of over 2,000 students. While two flash mob programmes have already been held, three vehicles with LED displays screening awareness slides are kept at Karavali Utsava programme venues, he said.Psychologist Ruksana Mangaluru said that society needs to unite to make Mangaluru completely free from drugs. Stating that the number of students exposed to drug abuse is constantly increasing, she emphasised the need for more awareness campaigns against this evil.Suhail Kandak said that a formal inaugural ceremony of the ‘Drug-Free Mangaluru’ campaign will be organised at the TMA Pai International Convention Centre in the city on Dec 27. Assembly speaker UT Khader will inaugurate the campaign, while Dakshina Kannada MP Capt Brijesh Chowta, Mangaluru City police commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy, deputy commissioner Darshan HV, and religious leaders will be the guests.
