Kasaragod: Taking a tough stand against drug abuse, a mosque in Trikaripur grama panchayat has decided to deny marriage clearance and conduct certificates to anyone found involved in drug use or trafficking.

The Kaikkottukadavu mosque, with 350 member-families, took the stringent decision to express solidarity with the government's Operation Toofan against narcotics, said M K Abdulla Darimi, secretary of the mosque or mahal committee. "Even if a person is merely booked by the police in a drug-related case, we will not issue a conduct certificate," he said.

In many Muslim communities in Kerala, prospective brides and grooms are required to produce a conduct or marriage clearance certificate issued by their local mahal committee before an engagement or marriage is formalised.

The committee also resolved to hand over anyone involved in drug use or trafficking to the police without any leniency.

The decisions were taken at a public meeting convened by the mosque committee to discuss the growing drug menace. It also constituted a Mahal Vigilance Committee to strengthen anti-drug efforts.

"If a family is struggling with a member involved in drugs and the person is unwilling to listen, the vigilance committee will approach the family and extend whatever support is needed to help rehabilitate them. The entire process will be handled with utmost discretion," Abdulla said.

The Kaikkottukadavu mosque serves around 350 families, with nearly 3,000 students from LKG to Class XII.

Mosque committee president T P M Nooruddin presided over the meeting. Satheesh Varma and Prajesh Kumar from the Chandera police station led awareness sessions on the dangers of drug abuse.