A tragic incident in Mumbai has left two MBA students dead from a suspected drug overdose after attending a concert, igniting a political firestorm and raising serious questions about drug control and event safety.
Key Points
- Two MBA students died in Mumbai after a concert, with suspected drug overdose as the cause.
- Police have arrested six individuals, including event organisers and a suspected drug supplier, in connection with the incident.
- Opposition parties are criticising the state government, alleging negligence and a failure to prevent open drug consumption at the event.
- The incident has sparked concerns about drug abuse among youth in Maharashtra and the effectiveness of law enforcement.
- Authorities have seized drugs worth Rs 30 crore recently in Mumbai, indicating ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking.
Two MBA students died due to suspected drug overdose after attending a concert in Goregaon area, police said on Tuesday, prompting the opposition to ask how authorities allowed an event where drugs were 'openly consumed' to take place.
Police on Monday arrested six persons including event organisers and a suspected drug supplier.
The victims -- a young man and a woman -- studied at a city-based management institute and were part of a group of 15 students who attended the concert at the Goregaon Exhibition Centre on Saturday, a police official said.
As per the preliminary investigation, some members of the group consumed ecstasy -- a banned substance -- before entering the venue, and went on to have alcohol during the concert.
Several of them complained of uneasiness and were rushed to hospital. Two students died while undergoing treatment on Sunday, while another student was still in hospital but in a stable condition.
Vanrai Police registered a case under section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and other relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and arrested two students, a suspected drug supplier, and three individuals associated with the organisers, the official said.
The accused have been remanded in police custody till Thursday.
Political Fallout and Allegations
Opposition Congress slammed the BJP-led government in the state over the deaths. The "inept and shameless" functioning of the government has pushed the state's youth into the grip of drugs, said Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal on Tuesday.
In a statement, Sapkal asked how police and other law enforcement agencies failed to notice a gathering of thousands of people where drugs and alcohol were allegedly consumed openly.
The alleged drug abuse came to light only after two deaths, and the authorities were "asleep" till then, he said.
"The fact that such parties are being held openly under the nose of the Mumbai Police shows a major failure of the Home department and the entire administrative machinery," said Sapkal.
The Congress leader further alleged that drug trade was flourishing across Maharashtra with the "blessings of those in power", citing recent cases in Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Solapur. Thanks to political patronage, investigations into many such cases were diluted and the accused were given a clean chit, he said.
"If he (Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis) cannot handle even the Home department, he is unfit to run the state. He should step down rather than ruin Maharashtra," Sapkal said.
He also demanded clarity on permissions granted for the concert. Law enforcement agencies were more focused on "collections and extortion" than maintaining law and order, alleged the Congress leader.
Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad asked how a "rave party" was allowed to take place.
NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule termed the incident as extremely worrisome and said the Home department should take immediate action.
Government Response
Yogesh Kadam, Minister of State for Home, told reporters that action was being taken in such cases, and drugs valued at Rs 30 crore were recently seized in Mumbai.
Manufacturing narcotic drugs and their distribution has become easy but the Anti-Narcotics Cell is proactively working to curb drug trafficking, the Shiv Sena minister added.
Steps will be taken to ensure that such incidents do not take place in future, said Kadam.
BJP minister Girish Mahajan said strict action should be taken against those involved in drug peddling.
