The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court has strongly criticized the Tamil Nadu police for the incident involving intoxicated youths under the influence of ganja assaulting the public while riding their two-wheelers home after work in Madurai. The court has demanded answers regarding the number of cases registered for the sale and smuggling of ganja, the status of final reports filed in courts, and the submission of seized cannabis to court. These inquiries come as part of a wider investigation into the incident.
The court’s scrutiny stems from a Public interest Litigation (PIL) petition filed by Thirumurugan from Ramanathapuram, following an incident on 22 April 2024 where seven individuals, intoxicated in the Othakadai area of Madurai, attacked Khan Mohammad as he passed by, resulting in serious injuries. The incident, captured on video and circulated on social media, led to the subsequent police case. Allegations surfaced suggesting collusion between the police and ganja sellers in the area, dissuading the public from filing complaints.
The access to drugs in TN under the DMK Govt is becoming easier like never before as peddlers are given plum posts in DMK, making law enforcement a joke.
This incident in Madurai where an innocent biker gets attacked is 4th such incident in TN in the last few days reported as… pic.twitter.com/LTR8RSxDj4
— K.Annamalai (மோடியின் குடும்பம்) (@annamalai_k) April 23, 2024
As a result, the petitioner advocated for the establishment of outposts in key areas like Neelamega Nagar and Ayyappan Nagar, urging the police to crack down on individuals commuting under the influence of alcohol and ganja, even proposing the creation of a specialized unit within the police force to tackle narcotics trafficking and related criminal activities.
During the court proceedings, it was asserted by the government that those involved in the Othakadai area riots had consumed alcohol but not ganja. Additionally, it was stated that over the past three years, 2,486 individuals from foreign states have been arrested for involvement in ganja sales, with ongoing actions being taken in this regard.
However, the court raised concerns about the possibility of ganja trafficking thriving without the involvement of both judiciary and law enforcement officials. They questioned the effectiveness of efforts to combat ganja sales and smuggling under such circumstances. Consequently, they directed pertinent authorities, including the Tamil Nadu Home Secretary, Tamil Nadu Police DGP, and Director of Narcotics Control Division, to provide a comprehensive response to their inquiries and adjourned the hearing until 15 May 2024.
(With Inputs From Hindu Tamil)
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