In a bizarre twist of fate, what began as a study tour to Munnar for a group of higher secondary school students from Thrissur, Kerala, took a dramatic turn when three students accidentally walked into a Narcotic Enforcement Squad office in Adimaly, Idukki, while looking for a matchbox to light a beedi rolled with ganja.

The students, part of a 100-member group on an educational trip, made a stop in Adimaly for lunch on Monday, October 21. Unaware of their surroundings, the trio mistook the narcotics squad office, which had several seized vehicles parked outside, for a local garage. They approached the officers and asked for a matchbox, intending to light up their ganja-laced beedis.

“The students thought they were at a mechanic's shop,” said Circle Inspector Rakesh B Chirayath, recalling the incident with disbelief to The New Indian Express. “When they walked in, one of them casually asked, ‘Cheta (bro), can you share a matchbox?’ It was only after spotting the officers and the official sign board that they realised their mistake.”

Panic ensued as the students attempted to flee, but they were quickly apprehended. A search of their belongings uncovered five grams of ganja, one gram of hashish oil, and rolling paper. The students had pooled their pocket money to buy the drugs and had even created a WhatsApp group to coordinate their substance use during the trip.

A case has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act against two students from whom the contraband was recovered. Both the students and their parents have been subjected to counselling, and the case has now been handed over to the Juvenile Justice Board.