510-km ‘Drugs Pai Dandayatra’ cycle rally concludes
Vijayawada: The 34-day-long, 510-kilometre anti-drug cycle rally titled ‘Drugs Pai Dandayatra’ culminated in a grand valedictory ceremony at the City Armed Reserve (CAR) Police Parade Grounds in Vijayawada on Sunday. Under the leadership of NTR District Police Commissioner SV Rajasekhar Babu, DCP (Admin) KGV Saritha personally supervised the 510-km cycle rally.
The final leg of the rally commenced at dawn from Ibrahimpatnam and reached the Old Police Control Room on MG Road (Bandar Road), where it was warmly received by NTR District Police Commissioner SV Rajasekhara Babu. EAGLE IG AK Ravi Krishna, DCPs Krishna Kanth Patel, Shireen Begum, KGV Saritha, Tirumaleswara Rao, Krishna Prasanna, ABTS Udaya Rani, B. Lakshmi Narayana and EAGLE SP Nagesh were present on the occasion.
From Bandar Road, police officers and nearly 500 students cycled in a victory rally to the CAR Grounds opposite Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation (IGMC) Stadium, where the closing ceremony was held. Five women police cyclists who completed the entire 510-km journey were felicitated for their determination and commitment.
Addressing the gathering, the commissioner said the rally was organised with a firm resolve to stamp out the drug menace. The 34-day journey has shown tremendous public support, including women welcoming the rally with harathis,” he said.
He disclosed that 25 persons were booked under the PIT NDPS Act as part of the intensified crackdown. During the campaign, police identified 2,513 individuals addicted to drugs and facilitated counselling and treatment at government hospitals, he said. Within the Commissionerate limits, 149 drug ‘hotspots’ were identified and brought under continuous surveillance through CCTV cameras, drones and regular cordon-and-search operations, he added.
Nearly 2,000 students, faculty members, public representatives, EAGLE officials, police personnel and media representatives participated in the concluding programme, marking the campaign as a historic anti-drug initiative in the State.
