Chittoor district police on Thursday organised a major anti-drug awareness rally, which saw the participation of more than 1,500 students. The event highlighted the need for collective action to turn the district into a drug free area.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Tushar Dudi flagged off the rally held ahead of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking at Gandhi Bomma Circle. Students, EAGLE team members, police personnel, and officials from various departments joined the rally, which passed through the arterial junctions of the municipal corporation amid slogans of “Drugs Voddu Bro”.

Addressing the gathering, the SP said that drug consumption and illegal transportation were both punishable offences, warning that action would be taken not only against peddlers but also against those using narcotic substances.

Mr. Dudi said that substance abuse, which casually begins among the youth, could gradually turn into addiction and ruin their future. The police were strengthening surveillance, conducting vehicle checks at border points, and keeping watch on suspicious persons, he said.

“Chittoor district, flanked by Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, requires sustained vigilance against the movement of ganja and other narcotic substances,” the SP said, adding that cases under the Preventive Detention Act were being booked against habitual drug traffickers.

The SP observed that drug use could severely affect students’ memory, health, and academic prospects. He urged the youth to stay away from alcohol and narcotics and help those addicted to substances access rehabilitation facilities.

“The action plan for awareness campaigns in schools, colleges, buses, and railway stations through posters and outreach programmes is under way. Nearly 50,000 students were enrolled in degree, polytechnic, and engineering colleges across the district,” the SP said.

Later, Mr. Dudi, along with Excise Additional SP Venkatesh, administered an anti-drug pledge to the participants. The officials appealed to students and residents to report suspected drug activity through Dial 112, the anti-drug helpline 1972, or the Chittoor police WhatsApp number 9440900005.