The Villupuram police in Tamil Nadu arrested four young men in the late hours of Sunday, October 2, for allegedly possessing narcotic substances. The possessions seized from the men include opioid-based tablets, ganja, sodium chloride injection, and syringes. The arrested have been identified as Saddam Hussain, S Surya, Samuel, and B Siva alias Rajasekhar. They were arrested during a routine vehicle check-up by the special team of the Villupuram police on Sunday night. The four arrested were produced before a judicial magistrate court and remanded in prison.

According to the police, the arrested have been supplying banned narcotic substances to school and college students. The police, after interrogating the four men, found that they had sourced the drugs from Chennai and were planning to sell them to school and college students.

The Villupuram police have charged them under Sections 328 (causing hurt by means of poison, etc. with intent to commit an offence) and Section 20 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

It may be noted that the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police (DGP) C Sylendrababu has directed all the district superintendents of police and commissioners of police to conduct a crackdown against drug sellers in the state. The DGP has also directed the police to constitute special teams to nab the culprits who are involved in selling narcotic substances to school and college children.

In August, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin had directed police officers to take stringent action against drug peddlers and freeze their property. He added that parents of students and the school management must take responsibility to ensure that students do not become victims of drug abuse. The Chief Minister also asked the police officials to increase supervision around educational institutions so that students are not able to access drugs with ease.