Hyderabad: The excise department is sending advisories and notices to school and college managements after the enforcement wing busted a drug racket that was peddling narcotics to students.
Officials said letters and notices were sent to 26 schools including international schools and 27 corporate colleges. Mr Akun Sabharwal, director of enforcement, prohibition and excise department, said that the investigation had revealed about 1,000 students and techies had been trapped by the gang led by Kelvin Mascra.
“We are taking up awareness campaigns and sending letters to schools and colleges. We will hold an awareness meeting on July 14 with school managements,” he said.
Kelvin, the prime accused, and his associates had sold LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) and MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine) since 2013-14 in the city.
Based on the confessions by eight arrested persons, the Special Investigation Team constituted by Mr Sabharwal found that few students from nine schools and 14 corporate colleges were involved.
Mr Sabharwal said the schools and colleges were located in and around the city and the racket wa not only operating in upmarket localities like Jubilee Hills and Banjara Hills. “We have identified that students from few corporate and international schools located at Jubilee Hills, Banjara Hills, Begumpet, Nacharam and other localities became addicted to drugs. We have informed the parents and school managements to take immediate action for de-addictions,” he said.
Parents’ associations are asking managements how the students were left vulnerable to the drug trade. Some students spend up to 12 hours in school under the pretext of tuitions and special coaching and classes for IAS, IIT, JEE and others.
Hyderabad School Parents’ Association executive member Aravinda Jata said students were spending more time with teachers than parents. “It is the responsibility of teachers and school managements. They should have a surveillance system to identify such issues. The managements should teach them moral values. Managements should question parents why they are giving more pocket money to kids,” the HSPA member said.
