Kerala:104 Schools Identified As Drug Hotspots By Excise Department Ahead Of Reopening

Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala: The Kerala Excise Department has identified 104 schools in the state as drug hotspots ahead of the school reopening for the new academic year. Among the schools flagged as drug hotspots include government, aided and private in the high school and higher secondary categories.

The capital city, Thiruvananthapuram, has topped the list, with 43 schools from the district identified, while Ernakulam and Kozhikode districts follow the list, The New Indian Express reported, quoting excise sources. The officials have reportedly found that substance abuse is prevalent among students in these institutions.

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According to the officials, they have received information that certain shops operating near these schools are engaged in supplying drugs to students. The information has been forwarded to the government, which has decided to revoke the licences of the shops involved in drug peddling.

In response, the government has initiated several measures to counter the influence of drugs and intoxicants among school students. The excise department will place schools identified as drug hotspots under surveillance, and it will also seek assistance from the police when needed.

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The government has also directed the department to step up efforts to free students from the clutches of drug rackets. “The department has been directed to take action on its own and also in coordination with other departments, such as the police, to purge the elements that lure school students,” the news portal quoted an excise officer.

The government would seek the assistance of the local self-government bodies to revoke the licences of such shops and agents involved in distributing drugs among students. It has also sought the support of principals or headmasters of such schools to deal with the menace. According to the report, there will be strict monitoring of the contacts the students have with outsiders, and the background of people who loiter around the schools will be scrutinized.

If the exercise officials find a student using drugs, they will be rehabilitated under the ‘Vimukthi’ de-addiction project. The officials will conduct Mufti and bike patrolling near schools on a daily basis.