Mumbai: Investigations into the deaths of two MBA students following suspected ecstasy consumption at a Goregaon music concert have led to startling revelations.
“Despite being fully cognizant of the prohibition under the Liquor Prohibition Act against serving alcohol to individuals under the age of 25, the organisers served alcohol to the deceased, and others, even though none of them possessed a valid liquor permit,” claims a HT report, citing police document.
The police are now focusing on the drug supply chain, role of fellow students, and alleged lapses by event organisers. According to police, at least six people have been arrested so far, including a suspected drug supplier, two students, and individuals linked to the event’s organisation and security.
Supply chain traced, courier app under lens
In a key breakthrough, investigators have identified the alleged supplier as a Kalyan-based man, Anand Patel, who is believed to have procured and distributed ecstasy pills to the students. The drugs were reportedly delivered to the venue using a courier service app, pointing to a new modus operandi in urban drug distribution.
Police are now attempting to trace the supplier’s network and determine the original source of the contraband, which preliminary findings suggest may have been brought into Mumbai from outside the city.
The other arrested persons, according to a HT report, are: Balkrishna Kurup, 46, vice president of NESCO Exhibition Centre; Sunny Vinod Jain, 31, who works with Kurup; Akash Banmari Samal, 31, an employee of Nagpur-based production house Inspiring Tie Production, which organised the concert; and Raunak Rahul Khandelwal, 25, and Pratik Bijesh Pandey, 24— both students of the college.
Statements recorded from the surviving student indicate that the pills were circulated within the group. One of the accused, a fellow student, allegedly handed over a “yellow pill” at the venue.
Investigators also found that at least one of the deceased had consumed a pill before reaching the venue and another during the concert, leading to a fatal overdose.
The incident took place during a music concert at the NESCO exhibition grounds on April 11, attended by thousands. Around midnight, three students began experiencing breathing distress and dizziness, prompting their friends to rush them to nearby hospitals.
A 24-year-old woman and a 28-year-old man later died, while a third student remains critical. Doctors have confirmed drug overdose as the cause of death.
Organisers, venue officials booked
Police have also taken action against event organisers and venue officials, accusing them of failing to enforce proper security checks that could have prevented narcotics from entering the venue.
All accused have been booked under provisions related to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, along with sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
