The widespread circulation of ganja and other narcotic substances has become a serious issue among the youth in Tamil Nadu. Recently, a prominent private engineering college near Chennai has come under the scrutiny of the Tamil Nadu police. Reports of ganja being supplied within the college hostels prompted a surprise raid and coordinated searches on the college’s hostel facilities and its nearby student accommodations.
There was a significant commotion at SRM Engineering College in Kattankulathur, Chengalpattu district, following reports of an uptick in narcotic substances being circulated. The police seized various drugs, including ganja, and arrested 30 students from the college. At around 3AM, over 500 police officers converged in the area after receiving reports of ganja being distributed in the college’s hostels and nearby student accommodations.
Police raided and took control of the men’s and women’s hostels within the college and those nearby. The presence of such a large police force on campus and in the surrounding hostels caused a considerable uproar.
The arrested students were found to be in possession of prohibited drugs, including narcotic pills and ganja, and are currently under investigation. The college, which attracts students from across Tamil Nadu and other states, had previously been the site of violence in 2022 when a clash occurred between students from northern states on a highway, resulting in injuries from stone-throwing. The Guduvancheri police, who investigated the incident, discovered that the altercation was linked to competition over drug sales, including ganja.
சென்னை, பொத்தேரி பகுதியில் உள்ள SRM பல்கலைக்கழகத்தை சுற்றிலும் மாணவர்கள் மற்றும் மாணவிகள் தனியாக அறை எடுத்து தங்கி இருக்கும் விடுதிகளில் 500-க்கும் மேற்பட்ட போலீசார் அதிரடி சோதனை.
சோதனையில், போதை மாத்திரைகள், கஞ்சாவுக்கு பயன்படுத்தக்கூடிய போதை பொருட்கள் பறிமுதல். கல்லூரியைச்… pic.twitter.com/Ftd5Y2T42L
— Spark Media (@SparkMedia_TN) August 31, 2024
In response, the police conducted further raids on rented properties associated with the students. The crackdown on drug activity is part of a broader effort in Tamil Nadu to combat drug circulation, which has also seen increased inspections at bus stations, railway stations, and airports. Opposition parties are calling for Tamil Nadu to become a drug-free state, criticizing the current drug problem for negatively impacting youth and leading to harmful behaviors among students.
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