Hyderabad school allegedly run for Alprazolam production; three arrested in raid

Hyderabad: Telangana’s Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) continued its investigation on Sunday into a private school in Secunderabad that was allegedly used as a narcotics manufacturing unit.

Officials said the premises of Medha High School in Bowenpally were being used to produce Alprazolam.

During a raid on Saturday, the EAGLE team seized 3.5 kg of finished Alprazolam, 4.3 kg of semi-finished product, ₹21 lakh in cash, large quantities of raw materials, and equipment used in production. Authorities said the cash represented the earnings from two days’ drug sales.

Three accused were arrested, including the alleged mastermind, 39-year-old Malela Jaya Prakash Goud, a Mahabubnagar resident and director of Medha High School.

Goud, who ran the school for children up to Class 7 with about 130 students enrolled, reportedly used the institution as a cover to avoid suspicion. The cellar contained classrooms, while the ground floor hosted a bank and parts of the first floor were also used for teaching.

Goud, who had previously run a toddy shop in Mahabubnagar, came in contact with Guruva Reddy, who introduced him to Alprazolam manufacturing.

He had set up a production facility in the back portion of the building and began distributing narcotics to toddy depots in Boothpur and the surrounding areas of the Mahabubnagar district for mixing with toddy.

He had even paid ₹2 lakh to Guruva Reddy for the manufacturing formula. Police said Goud was aided by his employees in running the trade.

P. Uday Sai, 23, a driver and G. Murali Sai, a transporter, were also arrested along with Goud. The drug manufacturing facility was allegedly in operation for the last one year.

Acting on credible intelligence, the EAGLE team raided the premises, apprehended the accused, and seized evidence.

EAGLE officials were questioning the accused to identify and arrest other individuals involved in the network. An official said efforts were on to identify those who were supplying chemicals to Goud.

Alprazolam and other dangerous sedatives are mixed with toddy to give a kick. Alprazolam was found in the samples of toddy after adulterated toddy claimed the lives of nine persons and left 50 others ill in the Kukatpally area of Hyderabad in July.

IANS