In a significant crackdown on substance abuse, the rural police in Coimbatore apprehended five individuals on Monday for allegedly selling painkillers illegally to young people in the Pollachi region. The arrests were made following a specific tip-off about the illicit activities taking place near a railway bridge.
Tip-Off Leads to Arrest of Five Accused
The operation was conducted by the Pollachi town police, who acted on credible information. The police identified the arrested individuals as N Naveen (24), S Akash (26), K Paunraj (24), P Prabhu (29), and H Hariharan (29). All five are residents within the jurisdiction of the Pollachi police.
Modus Operandi: From Pills to Intravenous High
According to a police officer involved in the case, the accused were targeting youngsters near the railway bridge at Kottur. The investigation revealed a dangerous method of consumption. The users were reportedly dissolving the procured painkiller pills in a normal saline solution and then injecting the mixture directly into their veins using syringes to achieve a high.
"During the search at the location, we found used syringes," the officer stated. This evidence corroborated the information about the injection-based abuse. The five accused were subsequently booked and arrested.
Online Procurement and Seizure
Preliminary inquiries by the police suggest that the arrested youths were sourcing the painkillers through online channels. A substantial quantity of contraband was recovered from them. The police have seized 106 painkiller pills and three syringes as case evidence.
Following their arrest, all five individuals were produced before a local court. The court has ordered them to be remanded in judicial custody as the investigation proceeds to uncover potential wider networks and supply chains involved in this dangerous trade.
