IIT-Kanpur drug-menace: "Few hundred" students using, insiders involved in racket
The situation at the prestigious IIT-Kanpur is alarming: the administration says an internal probe has revealed "a few hundred" of its roughly 4,000 students use drugs, TOI reports. According to The Telegraph, 30-40 of them are addicted. The probe has revealed the role of insiders in the racket. The issue raised questions before too, but now the administration has a newfound zeal.
Ganja, charas, heroin the common drugs of choice
According to police, ganja, charas and heroin are used by many in the reputed institute. Some rich students even take cocaine. They blame the pressure of academics too: many fail to clear their papers and as supplementary papers accumulate, they turn to drugs due to frustration. A stark gender gap (14% of students admitted this year into the IITs were women) might play a role.
Even students peddle drugs for some quick money
Several gangs of drug peddlers operate in the area and target the students at IIT, said Acting Director, Prof Manindra Agarwal. A few months ago, five were arrested, who gave names of their customers. It impacted supply temporarily but soon, new peddlers hit the market. But what's more disturbing is that many insiders- "security guards, temporary staff and also students"- are involved.
When corrective steps backfired
The administration then "actively empowered" security personnel; student representative Richeek Awasthi attributed it to rising on-campus crime. However, several students then complained of high-handedness: many guards apparently picked on them arbitrarily and harassed them. One was even threatened with an FIR for not carrying his ID card, HT reports. A professor said students are being victimized due to the weak administrative machinery.
The administration has now buckled up
Now the institute has started counseling affected students and will continue in the next semester. Entry of outsiders without ID proof has been banned, including of washermen (the institute has installed washing machines); separate passage has been created for residents of neighboring villages, who earlier passed through the IIT entrance. Agarwal said if required, they will direct action against "students who won't see reason".
