Mahindra University campus turns hub for drugs

Hyderabad: In a major crackdown against consumption of drugs in academic campuses, the EAGLE Telangana task force busted an interstate drug peddling racket, operated by a Nigerian, that was running in Mahindra University, Bahadurpally, Jeedimetla.

Reportedly, over 50 students are under the scanner. Police arrested four persons and seized 1.15 kg ganja and 47 gm of OG weed. The arrested include Nevelle Tongbram (21) of Manipur, Mohd Ashar Jawed Khan (21) of Delhi, Ambati Ganesh (24) and Boosa Shiva Kumar (26) from Jeedimetla during a raid at Shivalayam Colony, Suraram, Jeedimetla, on August 25.

According to police, the OG weed was purchased for Rs 30,000 for 28 gm and sold to fellow-students for Rs 2,500 per gram.

The arrests followed the investigation of Malnadu Restaurant case. It was revealed that drug parcels were booked through Rajesh Enterprises a franchise of Sree Maruti Couriers. The officials traced the delivery boys. They found that two parcels were twice delivered by a Nigerian to a student Dinesh in Mahindra University. Another student Bhaskar made two payments to Nick, a Nigerian. They received 4 MDMA pills on two occasions and consumed them along with three friends at Quake Arena Pub.

“Nick had provided drugs worth Rs 1.3 lakh and Rs 80,000 on two occasions to one Surya,” said a senior officer. EAGLE teams then fanned out around the university campus and took inputs from the security guards and students. In a week, the sleuths zeroed in on two students and procured details about their houses, contacts, bank accounts and UPI transactions and alerted the university authorities.

“Based on the payments made through banking channels, we could identify some 50 students who might have been consuming drugs. Legal action will be taken against all of them under the NDPS Act,” said the officer.

The accused persons set up a well-structured supply chain connecting interstate suppliers, local peddler, and university students. Drugs were procured from Delhi and Bidar, smuggled into Hyderabad through courier and transport networks, and then pushed into Mahindra University through student distributors. The raid team found out that OG weed was bought in bulk from Delhi-based suppliers like Arvind Sharma and Aneel Soibam and sent to Hyderabad through DTDC courier. Payments were made digitally, splitting transactions across accounts or routed through friends to evade detection.

Boosa Kumar kept a steady flow of supply from Bidar. These bulk supplies were handed to Ambati Ganesh, who split them into small packets of four grams each and sold them at Rs 500 per packet.

Nevelle shared consumer details to Ganesh and Ashar, to help expand the network.

Inside Mahindra University, the accused specifically targeted students. Ashar played the role of a trusted peer distributor, collecting orders, delivering packets inside hostels and at private gatherings, and collecting payments digitally. Bhaskar and Dinesh acted as intermediaries for synthetic drugs. They established contact with Nick, who supplied MDMA pills.