Six students from the Culinary Academy of India (CAI) in Hyderabad were arrested for consuming ganja (weed) during a birthday party.
According to a press note by the Narcotics Police Station (HNPS) of the Eagle Force, 11 students initially confessed to consuming ganja during questioning. Urine drug tests, conducted in the presence of parents and the college principal, confirmed that six of them tested positive for THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), a banned psychotropic substance under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
The final-year students, all pursuing their Bachelor's degree in Catering Technology and Culinary Arts, were booked under the NDPS Act, 1985. They were identified as Sakshi Emaliya (22), Mohit Shahi (21), Shubham Rawat (27), Carolina Cynthiya Harrison (19), Aric Jonathan Anthony (21), and Loy Baruah (22).
All six students were counselled in the presence of their parents and Principal N Sudhakar Rao. They have been sent to a de-addiction centre for rehabilitation.
Police confirmed that the students and their parents requested that the case be withdrawn if the rehabilitation programmme is completed successfully.
Police also revealed that a mutual friend, Jason, a resident of SR Nagar, was allegedly supplying Ganja to students Loy Baruah and Aric Jonathan Anthony. An investigation into the supplier is underway.
The Eagle Force highlighted that this is not the first drug-related incident at the Culinary Academy of India, citing previous arrests where students were let off with only counselling.
"The recurrence of such cases reflects institutional negligence in ensuring a drug-free campus," the HNPS stated in its release.
Police criticised the college management for its "limited response through student suspensions" and for failing to take the matter seriously despite prior warnings.
The Eagle Force warned that any student found consuming drugs will now face a criminal case and mandatory rehabilitation at a government de-addiction centre before their name can be removed from police records.
The parents of the students requested that the college introduce surprise drug testing for suspected individuals as a preventive measure. The Eagle Force confirmed it would conduct surprise doping tests on students who attended the party to ensure they remain drug-free post-rehabilitation.
