Kochi: The students arrested in connection with drug use at Kalamassery Polytechnic College hostel have admitted to bringing cannabis to the premises on seven occasions. According to their statements, they paid Rs 16,000 to middlemen via UPI transactions to procure the drugs. They claimed to have started purchasing cannabis around six months ago.

The police obtained further details from Anuraj, a native of Karunagappally in Kollam, who was arrested the other day. The student revealed that the payments were made to individuals named Ashiq and Shalif, who were former students of the institution. However, Anuraj did not provide answers regarding the total amount collected or the identities of those who contributed to the payments.

Anuraj also stated that cannabis sales at the college hostel began six months ago and that Ashiq and Shalif were responsible for supplying the drugs. Meanwhile, the police suspect that the drug trade was not limited to Kalamassery Polytechnic College. As a result, investigations and inspections have been extended to hostels of nearby colleges.

Since the transactions were conducted via UPI, the police will examine the bank statements of Anuraj and the other arrested individuals to trace those involved in the financial dealings. The information obtained from the banks is expected to reveal the identities of those who funded the purchases, and the investigation will be expanded to track down all individuals connected to the drug trade.

So far, six individuals have been arrested in connection with the case. During questioning, shocking details emerged, including claims that a group was ready to deliver cannabis to the hostel at any time upon request. Moreover, the students’ statements suggest that a gang of drug users operated within the college hostel.