Hyderabad: Hyderabad police on Tuesday arrested three youths for allegedly displaying narcotic substances as an offering to Lord Shiva during Maha Shivratri and circulating a reel on social media.
The Charminar Zone Task Force acted soon after Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar flagged the video on social media. Subsequently, officers traced the accused to Jangammet in Falaknuma and took them into custody.
Police identified two of the accused as Sri Charan and Vijay Krishna. Thereafter, officials handed all three youths over to the Falaknuma police station for further action.
Hyderabad police invoke NDPS warning
Earlier, Sajjanar had strongly condemned the act and warned of strict legal consequences. He said displaying drugs in front of a deity for likes and views amounted to a serious crime.
“Would you risk anything to become famous?” the Commissioner asked in his post. He described Maha Shivratri as a sacred festival symbolising devotion and spiritual pursuit. Moreover, he termed the act of showing drugs in the name of divine grace as perverse and unacceptable.
Sajjanar cautioned that invoking the NDPS Act would have lifelong consequences. “Likes and views are short-lived pleasures. The punishment imposed by law will haunt you for a lifetime,” he said.
He advised youth not to sacrifice their future for momentary fame. Further, he stated that Hyderabad police would not ignore such incidents and would take strict legal action against those responsible.
Hours after the Commissioner’s post, Hyderabad police arrested the three youths and initiated further proceedings.