Drug pushers’ attempt to lure children in juvenile homes in Kozhikode under scanner

An investigation is under way with the support of the anti-narcotics squads and the police into the suspected attempts by drug pushers to establish contact with children lodged in juvenile homes and other government-run shelter facilities in Kozhikode district.

The action follows the recent rescue of a missing 16-year-old boy from the company of a gang of suspected drug pushers in the city. Police sources said the development has raised serious concerns about the possible targeting of vulnerable children by drug peddlers.

“The teenager who went missing from the juvenile home on January 23 was tracked only after three days. He was found in the company of a gang of drug peddlers near the Kozhikode railway station,” a police official attached to the anti-narcotics squad said. He added the boy was rescued because of the timely intervention of the District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (DANSAF).

Police sources said there have been more than five missing cases reported from various shelter homes in Kozhikode over the past five years. However, the first instance of an escaped child being traced in the company of drug traffickers was reported on January 26, prompting a comprehensive probe, they added.

A police official from Chevayur station said the intensified investigation was aimed at preventing attempts by drug traffickers to use children as carriers for clandestine transactions. He added some of the children housed in juvenile homes had previously been in conflict with the law, making them particularly vulnerable to exploitation.

Police sources with DANSAF said drug traffickers were increasingly targeting students to expand their illegal operations. They said there were practical limitations in constantly screening schoolchildren or checking their bags. Parents and caretakers should recognise the seriousness of the situation and act promptly, they added.

The Child Welfare Committee and the Juvenile Justice Board had already recommended stringent action to ensure the protection of children and the upgrading of existing facilities. Similarly, the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights had issued special instructions to increase the number of caretakers in children’s homes to strengthen safety measures.