Police have arrested three students and more arrests are likely. The college has placed the arrested trio under suspension.
Published Mar 14, 2025 | 7:16 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 14, 2025 | 7:17 PM
Periyar Men's Hostel from where ganja was seized.
Synopsis: A political war of words has broken out in Kerala after the police raided the hostel of Government Polytechnic College at Kalamassery and seized 2 kilograms of ganja from two rooms. Both SFI and Congress-affiliated KSU blamed the involvement of each other’s leaders in the incident. However, the police said the banned substance was kept in the hostel to be sold in small quantities during the Holi festival.
The state-run Polytechnic College at Kalamassery in Kerala’s Ernakulam district on Friday, 14 March, suspended three students who were caught with two kilograms of ganja in a police raid on their hostel rooms the previous night.
The Kalamassery police, Narcotics Cell, and the District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force swooped down on the men’s hostel of Government Polytechnic College in a rare midnight raid, seizing 2kg of ganja and arresting three students.
The dramatic operation, which sent students scrambling, has reignited debates over rising drug abuse among youth and sparked sharp political reactions.
The police revealed that several other students fled during the raid and hinted at more arrests in the coming days. The seized contraband, suspected to have been intended for Holi celebrations, was allegedly being sold in smaller quantities from the hostel. The police have found weighing machines and zip lock pouches in some rooms.
With the arrested students suspended pending an inquiry, the raid has not only raised concerns about drug networks in educational institutions but has also triggered a larger conversation on the growing vulnerability of youth to narcotics.
The operation at the men’s hostel block, Periyar, began at 9 pm on Thursday and lasted nearly seven hours. The police found 1.9 grams of the banned substance in one room and 10 grams in another, which led to the arrest of three students.
Acting on a tip-off, the police launched the raid amid intelligence reports suggesting that ganja was being procured in large quantities ahead of Holi celebrations.
The reports also indicated that donations were allegedly collected from students to fund the purchase.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) PV Baby stated that the raid was part of a broader effort to curb the sale and consumption of narcotics on campus.
“The narrative that the students were mere victims is false. They were likely fully aware of the substance stored in their rooms,” he said.
He further revealed that the college alumni and outsiders may have played a role in supplying drugs to students.
The raid was recorded on video, and the ACP dismissed allegations of harassment. He said medical examination reports would confirm whether the students had consumed drugs.
Police sources indicated that the raid followed the recent arrest of two former students in a separate drug-related case.
During the hostel search, officers discovered a weighing machine, suggesting that students were packaging the contraband into small packets—presumably for distribution during Holi celebrations.
The three students under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act have been identified as Akash M (21) from Villumala near Kulathupuzha, Kollam; Adithyan (20) from Haripad, Alappuzha; and Abhiraj R (21) from Thodiyoor North, Karunagappally, Kollam.
Two other students suspected of involvement are reportedly on the run.
The arrested students were final-year students following different streams. Adityan was pursuing Mechanical Engineering, while Abhiraj and Akash were studying Automobile Engineering and Chemical Engineering, respectively.
Principal Dr Aiju Thomas stated that both the police and the administration had been monitoring suspicious activities on campus for months, citing noticeable behavioral changes among certain students.
He described the raid as a “preventive measure” ahead of Holi festivities, adding that an internal inquiry has been launched. A faculty-led committee will investigate the extent of student involvement in drug-related activities.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the student community, raising concerns about drug abuse on campuses.
With the police vowing to intensify surveillance, authorities warn that stricter action will follow against those involved in such activities.
The seizure of ganja from the Polytechnic College hostel triggered a major political controversy in Kerala. One of the absconding students, Adil, was reportedly KSU’s Arts Club Secretary candidate.
He has been accused of selling ganja on the campus along with another KSU activist, Ananthu, according to Akash’s statement.
Following the raid, SFI leaders denied any involvement, asserting that the narcotics were found in the room of a KSU leader.
SFI Kalamassery Area President Devaraj stated that his organization has always been at the forefront of the fight against drugs and dismissed media reports linking them to the incident as false propaganda.
However, SFI State Secretary PS Sanjeev reacted to the media, stating that the SFI worker involved, Abhiraj, was not vigilant. Ganja was also seized from the room of a student who serves as the general secretary of the SFI union.
However, teachers have certified that the student does not use ganja, claimed Sanjeev.
He also questioned why a larger seizure of two kilos from KSU leaders was not being discussed while the 90 grams found in the SFI worker’s room was in focus.
He demanded a response from the KSU leadership and reiterated that SFI remains committed to fighting the drug mafia.
Meanwhile, Youth Congress State President and MLA Rahul Mamkootthal lashed out at the government, alleging that college hostels controlled by the SFI have turned into “underworld centers.”
In a Facebook post, he argued that strict raids could curb the flow of drugs.
He also questioned how SFI leaders managed to secure bail despite the government’s claim of a zero-tolerance approach to drug crimes.
Meanwhile, the Opposition Congress has taken a strong stance, accusing the LDF government and SFI of being complicit in the drug trade.
KPCC President K Sudhakaran, MP, alleged that CPI(M) members accused in drug-related cases are routinely granted bail, while the government prioritizes revenue from alcohol and narcotics.
Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan went a step further, claiming that SFI has become a key link in drug networks operating in college hostels.
In response, Excise Minister MB Rajesh assured strict action against the culprits, stating that political affiliations would not protect offenders.
The incident has further fueled the ongoing debate over rising drug abuse in the state.
(With inputs from Sreelakshmi Soman. Edited by Majnu Babu).
