Mysuru: Mysuru city police launched an anti-drug helpline to curb the growing menace of narcotic substances and to encourage community participation in reporting suspicious activity.The dedicated WhatsApp helpline number is 8277948080, and the police appealed to parents, teachers and the general public to share information about drug use, peddling or any related illegal activity in their neighbourhoods.
The initiative was announced as part of the anti-drug campaign ‘Vimukthi’. Home minister G Parameshwara released posters for the campaign during the inauguration of the Siddaratha Nagar traffic police building in Mysuru. The campaign is positioned as a public-driven effort, with the police seeking timely inputs from citizens to identify and act against drug-related offences.Commissioner of Police, Mysuru City, Seema Latkar explained that the city police are relying on co-operation from the public, particularly those who are closely connected to young people. On the same occasion, the home minister stressed the need for people-friendly policing and stronger public safety measures, especially given Mysuru’s status as a major tourist destination. He directed the city police to expand CCTV surveillance and strengthen monitoring through a dedicated command centre.Drawing a comparison, he noted that Bengaluru has about 10,000 police cameras, including 650 AI-enabled ones that can provide minute-by-minute details, which becomes crucial during high-footfall events such as New Year celebrations. With Mysuru witnessing increased tourist inflow, continuous monitoring is expected to help authorities track movement, identify issues early and co-ordinate action through the command centre with appropriate permissions and oversight.
