College dropouts fuel student narcotics network

College dropouts fuel student narcotics network 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai : College dropouts have been key players in drawing younger students into narcotics use and trade near SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST) in Tambaram, say investigators after Saturday’s drug bust. These dropouts targeted students, luring them with cheaper prices for ganja and connecting them to peddlers in states such as Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh. Students would bring ganja back by train whenever they returned from their hometowns, discreetly distributing small quantities among peers. 

An investigating officer from Tambaram police said the influence of these dropouts normalised drug use among students. Police found hookah pipes and related equipment in 90% of the flats raided on Satuday. Acting on a tip-off, Tambaram city police commissioner Abhin Dinesh Modak ordered the raid on flats predominantly occupied by students. More than 1,000 police per sonnel conducted searches across 500 flats, seizing ganja and other narcotic substances. 

The operation led to the registration of 20 cases and the arrest of 21 individuals, including 11 students from SRMIST and Selvamani, a 29-year-old history-sheeter. Of the 21 arrested, 11 students were released on bail, while the others, including Selvamani, were remanded in judicial custody. Police have urged college authorities to monitor student activities closely and report any suspicious behaviour. They stressed the need for stricter oversight to protect vulnerable students from addiction and criminal influences.