Namakkal District Collector L. Madhubalan flagged off an anti-drugs marathon, titled ‘Start Run, Stop Drugs’, at Government Boys Higher Secondary School (south) on Friday (June 26). Namakkal MLA C.S. Dileep was present during the function.

The marathon, in which over 1,000 people above the age of 14 participated, passed via Paramathi Road and Narasimmar Kovil Road and ended at Kulakkarai near Namakkal Old Bus Stand.

The District Collector said that various awareness programmes were being conducted to make Tamil Nadu a drug-free State. Drugs not only destroyed the person but also the family and their happiness; youth should focus on sports and exercise, he added.

Later, an awareness marathon was held on behalf of the Social Welfare Department on Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) campaign.

In Salem, the anti-drug marathon was inaugurated by Salem North MLA Sivakumar at Mahatma Gandhi Stadium. Over 500 youth participated in the run, which passed via Cherry Road, Hasthampatti Roundabout, Sarada College Road, Ramakrishna Road, Four Roads and Anna Park and ending at the stadium. Certificates and T-shirts were provided to the participants.