Drug dealers will be dealt with harshly: Talasani

Hyderabad: With the infamous drugs case crippling the cinema industry and unabated sale and consumption at various places across the State maligning the image of the government, Minister for Cinematography Talasani Srinivas Yadav on Wednesday warned of serious action against those who are involved in such activities.

He said due to the negligence of the previous governments, drugs sale and consumption spread like anything, adding that from children to elders became victims of drug abuse.

The Minister said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) was investigating the drugs case and serious action would be taken against those were involved in such criminal activities. Reacting on the drugs case that has been turning murkier by the day, the Cinematography Minister said the SIT investigation was going on based on facts and credible information. He said the prevailing drugs problem in the State was due to the negligence of the previous government.

“The SIT investigation is going on to find out those involved and the officials are not targeting a particular field or section in the society. A separate meeting will be conducted with cinema industry bigwigs and appropriate action will be taken in the drugs case,” he said. He refused to attribute the problem to the entire cinema field as there is only the involvement of a few persons from the field. Srinivas Yadav also denied comments that the cinema field was vertically split on the issue.

“Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao is serious on the drugs case and stern action will be taken against those involved,” the Minister clarified. Since the lives of many gullible people, youth and children were being destroyed due to drugs consumption, the government had focused on the issue to prevent it, the Minister said. “The State government has focused on cinema field and resolved several issues through discussion and will address related issues,” the Minister said.