MADURAI: National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has expressed concern at the incidents of injectable substance abuse seen among children in

. Commission member R G Anand told reporters here on Friday that a low cost pain killer tablet given to cancer patients is mixed with water and injected by the children.

"We were shocked to see a group of four boys inject it in Pudukottai and a probe revealed that the tablets were supplied by a pharmaceutical products supplier in Tirupur," he said. The NCPCR member said that the cost of the substance is as low as Rs 12 to Rs 15 per person and is even shared by a group of four boys, making it easily available to students and street children. "The effect of the injections lasts up to 24 hours. Supply of the tablets was in quantities of 2,500 to 3,000 and requirement to supply ratio was 1:100," he added.

As there was no name on the seized tablets, they sent samples to Delhi and got the name of the manufacturer. He said 11 people have been arrested in this connection five of whom have been detained under Goondas Act. "Probe is under way to crack the network and we are very close to it," he said. Anand added that substance abuse in injectable form is prevalent in 19 states but is new to Tamil Nadu. "In states like

where it used to be high the youth are shunning the injectable form of substance abuse due to fear of contracting HIV because of the addiction. It is worrying that it is now prevalent in Tamil Nadu," he said. Anand was to chaire a confidential meeting with police officers attached to

city and district police units and other stakeholders on prevalence of substance abuse in the district. The meeting was in continuation of an investigation taken up following the instance of injectable substance abuse detected in Pudukottai.

He said a comprehensive report on the matter will be submitted to the ministry of women and child development besides his commission early next week. The deliberations at the meeting will be on the prevalence of drugs and substance abuse among children in the district and the way forward to put an end to it.