The Greater Chennai Police (GCP) have arrested a 25-year-old person who is suspected to be have sold psychotropic drugs he procured from Mumbai. The arrest was made after several youth died owing to drug abuse in north Chennai.
Police personnel have been taking consistent actions to curb the sale and consumption of ganja and other psychotropic drugs, such as nitrazepam and tapendental tablets. Despite this, deaths due to drug abuse were reported recently.
Recently, G. Gokul alias ‘Karuppu’ Gokul, 22, was found unconscious at a playground in Thathankulam, Pulianthope, after using drugs. After being informed by friends, Gokul’s family rushed him to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH), where doctors declared that he had already died.
On the orders of Additional Commissioner of Police, North, Asra Garg, a special team, led by Assistant Commissioner of Police Raja, launched an investigation to trace the person who supplied the drug to Gokul. The investigation revealed that similar deaths had occurred due to drug abuse in Basin Bridge, Pulianthope, and Otteri in the past year. The police eventually arrested Karthick alias ‘Otta’ Karthick of C.S. Nagar, Perambur Barracks Road, Pattalam.
During interrogation, he revealed that he was a drug addict and would frequently travel to Mumbai by train. There, he would procure nitrazepam tablets in bulk and supplied them to the youth who died. The police said the youth injected themselves with a concoction made by mixing the powdered tablets in water. They also took it with ganja or liquor, the police said.
Though the GCP strictly prohibited over-the-counter sale of painkillers and psychotropic tablets without a prescription, the drug abusers source them from other States.
Mr. Garg said: “Now, we are taking strict action against those involved in drug offences. In this case, we have arrested the accused under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. If the charges under those sections are proven, the accused could get the maximum punishment. We have instructed our officers to continue the surveillance and take stringent action against drug offenders.”
