Teen dies after being injected with painkiller medicine; two held in Hyderabad

Hindustan Times

21-04-2025

Hyderabad, Two persons who sold painkiller pills without prescription to three teenagers were arrested here as one of them died, police said on Monday.
The painkiller tablets were sold to the youngsters by two persons, including the owner of a medical shop, and the youth injected it after crushing the tablets and mixing them with saline water, a release from Rachakonda Police Commissionerate said.
After injecting the tablet, the trio, all friends, fell sick and were admitted to different hospitals in the city last week and a 17-year-old among them died while undergoing treatment on April 19, police said.
Acting on a complaint lodged by the father of the deceased, the Balapur police arrested the two accused after booking a case against them on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and under relevant sections of BNS.
The complainant stated that the two accused caused his son's death by indulging in selling the pills.
On the modus operandi, the police said the prime accused made friendships with youngsters in the locality and explained to them that if they inject the pain killerpills with mixing of saline water into the nerves, they get drowsiness.
He would initially provide the injections for free. After the youngsters got addicted, he would charge for them.
The accused purchased the painkiller tablets from the owner of the medical store.
Both the accused were aware that the usage of painkillers in heavy doses causes death and supplying it to minors is an offence, police said.
The police appealed to parents to observe their children's behavour closely, if found any abnormalities.
Police further said if the parents suspect that their children are taking any drug, then they should inform to the local police.
Medical shop owners were instructed not to sell any drug to the customers without any prescription. If any violation is found then legal action will be initiated, police added.