Mangaluru : Asking students not to fall prey into the designs of the drug mafia, Kadluru Sathyanarayanacharya, Principal District and Sessions Judge, Dakshina Kannada, said here on Tuesday that awareness against drug addiction should begin from every home.

Launching a campaign by Dakshina Kannada Union of Working Journalists (DKUWJ) against drug addiction, cyber crime and promoting communal harmony in educational institutes, he said that parents and other adults should keep watch on children’s behaviour at home.

He said that it was a matter of concern that children younger than 16 have been visiting pubs where, in some instances narcotic substances were mixed in liquids served to them. Children should keep away from pubs. Parents should also be wary of this, he said.

Mr. Sathyanarayanacharya said getting caught by the police and later convicted by the courts should not be the main reason why people learn to deal with addiction issues. The reformation should take place before the conviction. He added that there was no co-ordination among various departments to contain drug menace effectively.

P.S. Harsha, Police Commissioner, said the drug mafia is an organised criminal syndicate that promotes terrorist activities, hawala transactions and other business interests. He said that increased addiction to social media and the Internet could prompt people to get involved in cyber crimes.

Srinivas Nayak Indaje, president, DKUWJ, spoke at the campaign launched at Canara College. He said it would continue in other colleges across the district.

The Dakshina Kannada Legal Services Authority, Department of Police and Dakshina Kannada district administration have supported the campaign.