HYDERABAD: Spot checks and investigation by Deccan Chronicle found nearly 250 youngsters, including over 100 minors, consuming marijuana at isolated locations of Nacharam — abandoned factories in IDA Nacharam and a culvert of a park in Raghavendranagar.
There are over eight groups of local youngsters, some also comprising Uttar Pradesh and Bihar natives. They mostly indulge in consuming narcotics at night, but some were spotted smoking in the open till the early hours of the morning as well.
The youngsters are mostly from Chilkanagar, Uppal, Raghavendranagar, HMT Nagar and surrounding areas of Babanagar.
Residents said they are helpless as many are connected to local rowdy-sheeters and elected representatives.
“People are found consuming ganja under trees on the premises of Lakshmi Starch Factory in IDA Nacharam. This has been going on for several months. I have seen different groups of unemployed youth entering (the factory) through the back gate. The factory has been shut for the past 20 years,” said M. Tirumala Rao, a civil contractor who lives in the area.
K. Rajyalakshmi, of Chilkanagar, said, “Police patrols the roads but the ganja consumers stay inside the vast area and cannot be seen from the outside. I wanted to inform the local police, but my husband advised me against it as I could get into trouble as they are dangerous.”
The police, however, said that they are aware of the issue and are cracking down on peddlers as well as users.
“After being strictly directed by police commissioner (of Rachakonda) Mahesh Bhagwat, we have drastically spread our network to gather info on consumers or peddlers. Factories that have been shut for several years are also under investigation,” a Rachakonda police officer said.
The police arrested seven marijuana peddlers, from Babanagar, Gayatrinagar and Uppal bus stand, over the past three months. “All of them belong to UP, Bihar and other states. Our focus is more on peddlers, to restrict the flow of contraband to consumers. We will intensify patrolling and also conduct foot patrols, apart from the routine patrol, to identify offenders,” the officer said.
Marijuana users, however, said that the contraband is openly available and that youngsters can purchase it at Sitaphalmandi and Babanagar.
“We easily get marijuana sachets for Rs 500 to Rs 700, depending on the quality. I fill ganja in cigarettes or use OCB (rolling paper) and consume one sachet of 12 grams per day. The code word for ganja is ‘hara maal’ or ‘hari pudi’,” said Ghouse Moinuddin of Raghavendra Nagar.
