MLAs Raise Red Flag Over Drug Abuse, Law & Order In Tamil Nadu

The Tamil Nadu Assembly witnessed strong exchanges on issues of law and order, drug abuse among students, and recent murder cases, with multiple MLAs urging the government to take urgent action.

AIADMK MLA Kamaraj alleged that ganja consumption among college students in Coimbatore has been increasing. He further claimed that students who complain about drug-related issues are being attacked, while college administrations are treating such incidents as internal student disputes.

He also referred to the murder of a student from a marginalised community and demanded ₹20 lakh financial assistance to the victim’s family. He urged the government to conduct a detailed investigation, stating that those who provide information on drug sales are being killed.

PMK MLA Ganesh Kumar said five murders have taken place in Tamil Nadu recently and called for a thorough investigation by the government. He expressed concern over rising ganja usage among school and college students and said it should not continue as it allegedly did in the previous regime. He demanded the formation of a committee headed by a retired judge to probe the issue.

BJP MLA Bojarajan stressed that education should not only focus on academics but also on discipline and shaping students’ future. He said while Tamil Nadu was often described as a leader in education, attention must be paid to resolving student-related issues. He pointed out conflicting versions from the media, police and parents, saying it was difficult to determine the truth. He urged the police to take strict action to prevent such incidents in the future.

CPI(M) MLA Sellasamy said three murder incidents have taken place in Coimbatore in the last 10 days, raising concerns over law and order. He said if law and order is to be maintained, the police force must be strengthened and “restructured”.

He also referred to the murder of college student Amuthan in Coimbatore and said the DMK had brought a special resolution on the issue. He further mentioned incidents in Thiruvottiyur and Megamalai, stating that they reflect a broader law and order problem in the state.

Responding to the discussions, Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar said the Leader of the Opposition had already been given time to speak on two resolutions and would be allowed to continue.

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami raised concerns over fish deaths in the Ennore Kosasthalaiyar river, stating that it has affected the livelihood of fishermen.

To this, the Speaker replied that information on the issue had been received only in the morning and assured that ministers would respond in detail, after which members would be given an opportunity to speak.