MAKAWANPUR: Makawanpur District in Province 3 has witnessed an increase in the number of drug cases, official statistics show.

According to government lawyer’s office, 89 drug offences were registered during fiscal year 2014/15. However, the numbers have gone up to 175 cases in the current fiscal.

Out of the 175 reported cases this fiscal, 135 were new offences whereas 40 were filed in as previous year’s pending cases, Non-gazetted First Class Officer, Daya Nidhi Rijal informed.

According to Rijal, out of total 377 defendants in the drug offences, 136 defendants in 73 offences were convicted of the crime whereas one person was acquitted.