Three pan shop owners booked for selling tobacco products to minors near school in Jadcherla

The EAGLE Force, in coordination with the Mahabubnagar police, has booked three pan shop owners for allegedly selling cigarettes and gutka to minors near ZPHS (Boys) at Badepally in Jadcherla. The shops were found to be operating within 100 metres of the school premises.

The accused have been identified as 50-year-old Abed Mohiddin Khan of Thimmajipet in Nagarkurnool, who runs ‘AK Pan Shop’, 25-year-old Mohd. Abdul Kayyum of Old Bazar in Jadcherla town, proprietor of ‘Zakeer Pan Shop’, and 25-year-old Sd. Fahimuddin of Fazal Banda in Mahabubnagar, who runs ‘Mathin Pan Shop’.

According to officials, the action followed a complaint received on the EAGLE Force toll free number 1908 on February 19, alleging that three pan shops near the school were selling cigarettes and other tobacco products to students. Acting on instructions to conduct discreet verification, a three member team from Mahabubnagar narcotic control mounted surveillance on the shops.

During surveillance, the team allegedly observed eight juvenile students being sold cigarettes and gutka. Four juveniles were intercepted and tobacco products were recovered from them. The local police were informed and, in coordination with the EAGLE Force, three cases were registered under Section 6 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act and Section 77 of the Juvenile Justice Act.

Officials said video evidence was recorded during the operation. They added that the shops were located within the prohibited distance from the school, making the sale of tobacco products illegal.

The development comes amid earlier inputs received by the EAGLE Force regarding the use of banned electronic cigarettes by school students. In one instance reported two months ago, students of a private school were found using e-cigarettes on campus.