Restricted-Use Drug Killed Student, Confirms NAB
A restricted analgesic drug linked to the death of a 17-year-old student and hospitalisation of two others was being sold illegally by Sahil, who procured it from a local pharmacy
Hyderabad: A analgesic drug, whose use resulted in the death of a 17-year-old student and the hospitalisation of two others, is a restricted medicine under Schedule H1, said the Telangana Anti-Narcotic Bureau (TGNAB) and Balapur police.
The analgesic was known to have habit-forming and dependency-causing properties.
The accused, Sahil, used to procure the drug for `45 from a medical shop and sell it to students at `150 per pill. Samples found in the medical store and near the victim’s residential area matched the batch numbers.
Police discovered that three individuals played a significant role in influencing the three victims. They have been identified as Mohammad Ayay, 20, Junaid Khan, 25, and a 16-year-old, from neighbouring areas. “They will be counselled in the presence of their families,” said M. Sudhakar, Balapur inspector.
The two victims, who are undergoing treatment at the hospital, are reported to be conscious and in stable condition.
“The dead student and the two survivors had several needle marks on their hands. To avoid suspicion from their families or others, addicts often begin wearing full-sleeve clothing. Initially, they were consuming the tablets directly, but over time they began injecting the substance by mixing it in saline water, as it was found to be more effective,” a senior police official said.
“Sahil, who was procuring the drug, is also an addict. To support his addiction, he began selling the tablets at a higher price,” the official said.
Balapur police and TGNAB jointly arrested Sahil, who confessed to procuring the drug from Siroomani Jagannathan Praveen, a medical store owner in Shamshabad. The police arrested the pharmacist and obtained CCTV footage from the medical store, along with records of online transactions between the two.
