Amidst reports of drug peddling and consumption on the rise in Assam in recent times three students of a premier school at Jorhat were picked up by police today when they were taking drugs in an isolated street, police said.
The class ten boys were rounded up following a tip off but were allowed to go home as they are under 18 years of age. Their parents that they will be produced before the Jorhat District Child Welfare Committee tomorrow, police said.
Action will be taken against the three students as per the Juvenile Justice Act, a Committee member said.
Instances of drug peddling and consumption have been reported recently in Assam and a journalist of an Arunachal Pradesh-based newspaper was arrested in Dibrugarh on May 10 along with a sizable quantity of brown sugar.
A protest ally demanding action against drug menace was taken out the same day by people here at Dighalipukhuri, where a drug racket was busted recently.
On May 9 five persons, including two girls, were nabbed by police in raids here against drug addicts and peddlers.
Two drug peddlers were arrested near the MLA Hostel in Dispur with two packets containing 25 gms of suspected psychotropic substance, while a couple were apprehended in Krishnanagar of Chandmari here when they were buying narcotic substance from an unidentified peddler, who fled, police said.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has voiced deep concern over the increasing drug menace in the state and asked the chief secretary to constitute a task force headed by additional chief secretary (home) to address the issue of drug abuse.
