Mangaluru: 38 of 50 students test negative for drugs in retest; police call it encouraging sign

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Sep 12, 2026: As part of efforts to make Mangaluru drug-free, the city police have screened 8,310 students from 150 colleges for drug use, Mangaluru Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy said in a press statement.

Of those screened, 98 students tested positive for drug use. The students were subsequently provided counselling through their respective college administrations and parents.

As part of a special verification drive conducted on Thursday, 50 students who had tested positive in the initial screening were retested. Of them, 38 tested negative, and they stated that they had stopped using drugs.

The fact that more than 75% of the students who had initially tested positive have now tested negative is an encouraging development, the Commissioner said.

The 12 students who continued to test positive in the retest have been advised to undergo further counselling. Their parents and college authorities have been instructed to continue the counselling process and maintain close and regular monitoring of the students.