Bengaluru:
After receiving information about school students purchasing and consuming alcohol, many private schools in the Bengaluru city started to conduct surprise inspections and to their shock, many students were found carrying alcohol mixed with water in their water bottles.
D Shashi Kumar, General Secretary, Associated Management of Primary & Secondary Schools in Karnataka (KAMS) said, "Earlier also we used to receive few complaints but now this has increased drastically. When we got information about students taking alcohol, many of our schools started random checking and they were shocked to see vodka mixed with water in water bottles of students."
Psychiatrists believe that at this gullible age children get tempted and attracted towards these kinds of intoxicants and access to the liquor shops has become very easy which is the basic reason behind students getting addicted to alcohol.
Dr A Jagadish, a Psychiatrist, says, "Children from the age of 14 years to 18 years get tempted towards these things. What has happened now is children have easy access to the liquor shops since anyone can go and purchase liquor with other items from a supermarket."
Private schools have decided not to complain about these incidents to the police but have started counselling these students and began awareness sessions regarding drugs and liquor in schools.
“We don't want to give them any punishment because that might have an adverse effect on them so after talking to many psychiatrists and psychologists we have decided to counsel them. In many schools we have called people from de-addiction centres as well,” said Shashi Kumar.
When News Nation raised this matter with Bengaluru Police, Seemant Kumar Singh, Additional Commissioner Bengaluru City (east division) said, "I have not received any complaint regarding this from any school but since you have given me this information I will increase the security checks near all liquor shops and especially supermarkets. I will also call for a meeting with the school management and decide the future course of action. Strict action will be taken against those who are selling liquor to minors."
