Idukki (Kerala) : In an unusual incident, a group of higher secondary school students from Thrissur, on a school excursion, inadvertently entered the excise office in Adimali and asked for a matchbox to light a ganja-filled beedi, mistaking the office for a workshop.
The students, part of a school tour with their teachers, stepped into the excise office after having a meal at a nearby hotel. They were caught red-handed by excise officers, who seized banned substances such as ganja, hashish oil, and other drug paraphernalia from two students.
Attempt to Escape Foiled by Officers
A senior excise officer recounted the bizarre moment:
“The students entered from the rear, thinking it was a workshop. As soon as they saw the officers, they sensed trouble and tried to flee, but we managed to catch them.”
A case has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act against the two students found in possession of the banned substances.
Counselling and Legal Action
The remaining students were released after counselling and sent back with their teachers. For the two students found carrying drugs, their parents were summoned, and they were handed over to them with a warning. However, the excise department confirmed that legal proceedings would continue against the minors involved.
Drug Abuse Among Students During Excursions
According to excise officials, substance abuse during school and college trips has become increasingly common in the state.
“In this case, the students pooled money to purchase the drugs from peddlers,” an official stated.
The authorities stressed the need for heightened awareness among students, parents, and teachers about the dangers of drug use during excursions and planned to take strict action to discourage such behavior in the future.
