510-Km Anti-Drug Cyclothon Concludes in Vijayawada
The commissioner thanked police personnel, volunteers and the five women cyclists for their commitment, and acknowledged the support of MPs, MLAs, local leaders, EAGLE officials, media personnel, teachers and nearly 2,000 students who participated
VIJAYAWADA: After covering 510 km over 34 days, the Vijayawada city police’s anti-drug cyclothon, Drugs Pai Dandayatra, concluded on Saturday, marking the end of one of the most extensive awareness drives against narcotics in the state.
The campaign, led by city police commissioner S.V. Rajasekhara Babu, culminated with a closing ceremony at the CAR Ground, held under the supervision of Additional DCP K.G.V. Saritha.
The final leg of the cyclothon began at daybreak from Ibrahimpatnam and reached the Old Police Control Room on Bandar Road, where participants were received by the Commissioner, EAGLE IG Ake Ravi Krishna, senior IPS officers, DCPs, EAGLE SP Nagesh and other officials.
From there, police personnel and nearly 500 students cycled to the CAR Ground, opposite the Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation Stadium, where five women police cyclists who completed the entire 510-km journey were felicitated.
Addressing the gathering, Rajasekhara Babu said the campaign marked “not an end, but a beginning”, describing it as a movement driven by public concern for the future of youth. He said the yatra witnessed overwhelming public participation, with women performing harathis and communities extending support across districts.
As part of enforcement measures in NTR district, police booked 25 persons under the PIT NDPS Act. During the campaign, 2,513 drug users were identified and provided counselling at government hospitals, with treatment arranged wherever required. Police also mapped 149 drug hotspots, installed CCTV cameras, deployed drones and conducted regular cordon-and-search operations within the Commissionerate limits.
The commissioner thanked police personnel, volunteers and the five women cyclists for their commitment, and acknowledged the support of MPs, MLAs, local leaders, EAGLE officials, media personnel, teachers and nearly 2,000 students who participated.
EAGLE IG Ravi Krishna said such a large-scale anti-drug campaign had rarely been organised elsewhere in the country. DCP Saritha described the initiative as a visionary effort that received an enthusiastic response across police station limits, with cultural programmes and public participation contributing to its success.