Published Sep 18, 2026 | 8:35 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 18, 2026 | 8:35 PM
According to the police, a small quantity of MDMA was seized from the former municipal chairman during the operation.
A former municipal chairperson and a college lecturer have been arrested in separate drug cases in the state, with police alleging the seizure of MDMA and the supply of the synthetic drug to students.
Former Thodupuzha municipal chairman Saneesh George was taken into custody by the District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (DANSAF) during an early-morning operation at Kodikkulam, near Thodupuzha, on September 17.
The action was part of ‘Operation Toofan’, the Congress-led UDF government’s anti-drug campaign.
According to the police, a small quantity of MDMA was seized from George during the operation.
Idukki District Police Chief A. Naseem said the former chairman had been traced through cyber surveillance after police received information about a group expected to reach the area with a larger quantity of MDMA.
The police have invoked Section 27(b) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act against George.
However, George rejected the police version and alleged that he had been deliberately framed.
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Speaking to reporters in Thodupuzha on Friday, September 18, he claimed that no MDMA had been recovered from him. George also alleged that police sprayed pepper spray in his face during questioning and said the only action taken against him was a ₹2,000 fine for smoking in a public place.
Inspector Naseem dismissed the allegations as baseless. He said police had video-recorded the entire search and seizure proceedings and that the footage would establish the circumstances of the recovery.
In a separate case, the police arrested a part-time professor at Dr Gafoor Memorial MES Mampad College in Malappuram on the same day, alleging that he had been supplying MDMA to students and others.
Suhail Peringodan, a native of Mongam near Kondotty, was arrested on September 17 from Nilambur.
Police said the arrest was part of an investigation into a drug supply chain. Others arrested in the case include Reena T.N., Vivek Vijayan and Subramanian. The arrests were made by a team led by Sub-Inspector Arshid K.M. acting on a tip-off.
Police recovered 0.4 g of MDMA and 0.5 g of ganja from Subramanian. During interrogation, investigators allegedly found that Suhail had been regularly supplying MDMA to Vivek and Reena. Further investigation led police to suspect that the lecturer had also been selling the drug to students and friends.
Suhail had been teaching at the college for around three years.
Police said he admitted to being a regular MDMA user and told investigators that he sourced the drug from wholesale suppliers in Kondotty and Manjeri.
Efforts are under way to identify and arrest the alleged distributors.
(Edited by Fayisa CA)
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