Kerala Governor Convenes Urgent Meeting with Vice-Chancellors to Tackle Rising Drug Menace in Universities

Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar has called an urgent meeting with the vice-chancellors of all the universities in the state to address the growing drug menace plaguing colleges and universities. The meeting, scheduled for 2 PM today at Raj Bhavan, marks the Governor’s first direct intervention in university affairs since assuming office. 

Sources from Raj Bhavan revealed that the Governor’s office is deeply concerned about the rising number of drug-related crimes reported in recent times. In a bid to curb the issue, Governor Arlekar has directed Kerala Director General of Police (DGP) Dr. Shaik Darvesh Saheb to submit a preliminary report detailing law enforcement measures to combat the drug problem and prevent its spread. A detailed action plan is also in the works, according to insiders. 

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“The Governor has outlined a set of action plans and intends to discuss their implementation with the vice-chancellors,” a Raj Bhavan source said. When asked about the possibility of mandatory drug testing in colleges, the source dismissed it as speculative. 

The recent story of the drug menace, including a shocking case in Pathanamthitta where a father allegedly used his 10-year-old son as a cover to sell drugs in schools, has made the issue a spotlight among the public. Excise Minister MB Rajesh recently informed the Kerala Legislative Assembly that 24,517 cases have been registered in the state under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, highlighting the scale of the crisis. The number is more than the cases registered in Punjab .  

Multi-State Crackdown on Drug Networks 

In a parallel effort, Kerala Police, under the leadership of ADGP (Law and Order) Manoj Abraham and Joint Excise Commissioner B. Radhakrishnan, has teamed up with law enforcement agencies from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Puducherry, Lakshadweep, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The collaborative operation aims to trace the sources of drug inflows, dismantle distribution networks, and apprehend synthetic drug manufacturers. 

Within a week, authorities have arrested 12 major drug distributors across multiple regions. Raids have led to significant seizures, including 128 kg of cannabis from a storage center in Tamil Nadu, the arrest of a wholesale MDMA supplier in Andhra Pradesh, and a drug bust in the Andaman Islands. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Railway Police have been instructed to intensify efforts to curb drug smuggling via rail routes. 

To bolster intelligence-sharing, phone tapping and suspect interrogations are being employed, with actionable information relayed to partner states for independent or joint raids. A WhatsApp group of senior officials facilitates daily online reviews of the operation’s progress. “Frequent updates and coordination are key to this effort,” an unnamed excise official said. The Republic’s attempts to reach ADGP Manoj Abraham for comment were unsuccessful. 

Political Heat in the Assembly 

The issue sparked a heated exchange during the 13th session of the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly, with the opposition Congress party accusing the ruling CPI(M)-led government of failing to nab the kingpins and main suppliers fueling the state’s drug trade. Interestingly, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan blamed ‘globalisation’ and extreme ‘competitiveness’ and ‘restlessness’ among youths as a reason for violence among youth and the drug menace. 

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