In what has come has a shocker for the administration for the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur (IIT-K), an internal inquiry has revealed that some of its students have been involved in the consumption of various kinds of drugs. The inquiry was conducted after getting specific inputs, and according to sources, the IIT-K administration came to know about over two dozen students who were found involved in consuming drugs and prohibited medicines.

Some of these drugs include Surti (tobacco), smack, Charas (Cannabis), Ganja (Hemp), etc. Sources told MAIL TODAY that these drugs are easily available at the roadside paan shops and tea shops near the gates of the Institute. The sources added that some private security guards and fourth-class employees of the prestigious institute are also involved in the supply of drugs and prohibited medicines to the students.

In order to keep a check on the menace, the II-K administration has pasted posters in the hostels to spread awareness among the students. It is also planning to hold counselling sessions for the budding engineers. Concerned over rise in drug menace on campus, the college administration also held a meeting with the district magistrate and the SSP of the Kanpur to find a solution. "Our security guards frisk all the visitors and noone is allowed to come inside the campus without a proper check," IIT-K director Manindra Agarwal told media persons.

"However, there is a locality called Nankari. The approaching road to it passes through our campus and it is always open. It is possible that peddlers are using this route and we are preparing to close this route and arrange for another passage for the residents. We do not want outsiders to access hostels and therefore have decided to provide a separate passage to the locals of Nankari and Barasirhoi villages to reach their destinations instead of passing through the main entrance of the institute," Agarwal said. "We are also planning to hold counselling sessions for the students to make them aware about the negative effects of such things on their health and their future," he added.

According to sources, the police also has some specific inputs about those involved in supplying drugs to students. Although the cops were tight-lipped, a huge quantity of hemp was recovered from a private security guard of the institute who was arrested by the Kalyanpur police about two months ago after a tip off.

The police have also passed some inputs to the Local Intelligence Unit (LIU). "A team of the LIU has been given the task to investigate the menace and we hope that they will come up with some positive results", DM Kanpur Surendra Singh informed. Besides, the local police have also been asked to keep a vigil in and around the campus also keep an eye on those who were nabbed earlier for their involvement in drug peddling, he added.