HT INVESTIGATION: Want to get ‘high’? Everyone knows where, but cops turn a blind eye?
HT investigation unearths network in Lucknow and how easily narcotics are available in the market amid the craze for intoxication gripping young party goers to corporate workers, individuals to nightclubs. The state capital has everything to offer right from weed, hashish to MDMA and even cocaine for those who have the money.
Amid bright lights and a festive mood ahead of the New Year, the word ‘fun’ takes on a different meaning as the dark side of celebrations casts a shadow in the form of the open sale of narcotics in prominent pockets of the state capital right under the nose of the authorities who seem oblivious to the menace which almost everyone else can see.
The illegal drug business is ever present. And if a person has money and the desire to be on a high, getting the narcotic of choice is easy in Lucknow, HT reporters discovered as they fanned out across the city to investigate and unearth the illegal network.
The hotspots range from the city’s party centre at Gomti Nagar to the narrow and busy lanes of the old city and residential pockets. Indeed, the state capital is no less than any metropolitan like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chandigarh in terms of the craze for intoxication.
At the right location, one can get everything from low priced weed to expensive Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), commonly known as ecstasy, available in tablet form. Not just that, if you have money and can pay in advance, you can also get cocaine (snorted through the nose, rubbed into gums, injected into the bloodstream, or smoked).
HT set out to get a sneak peek at the secret business of weed and other intoxicants in the City of Nawabs only to find that acquiring some of it was far easier than one might imagine. The contraband is sold openly even during day time by a nexus of peddlers and beggars which can be seen by everyone, but not by the police.
All this shows that the City of Nawabs has outgrown its Page-3 life with intoxication gripping everyone from young party goers to corporate workers, individuals to nightclubs.
Ahead of New Year’s eve, the city’s key spots are decked with consignments of all sizes and sorts being run right under the cop’s nose.
As HT reporters reached a secluded stretch behind the CGST office in Vibhuti Khand during the daytime, they saw two youngsters, about 19-20 years old, standing and watching the passersby. Signalling from a distance, one of them immediately asked, “Kitne waali puriya chaiye? (Which packets do you want?)”
As soon as one of the reporters said, “ ₹100”, the youth refused, saying that the price starts from ₹200 and the product is of the finest quality brought from Bahraich.
When the reporters agreed, the youngster motioned to his partner who took out a small plastic sealed packet and handed it over to the reporters. As the reporters did not have cash, the duo even had a scanner ready to take the payment.
“It is one of the best qualities. And I have even better quality than this, like stuff from Odisha, Manali, and Kasauli,” he said.
“I’m here from the morning to 10 pm every day and have over 150 regular customers. You can even call me to know my availability,” he further said.
HT reporters set out to unearth the weed network in Jhulelal Park on the Gomti riverbank in the Hasanganj area close to the Lucknow University. After hours of searching, a beggar on the road was seen smoking and looked questionable.
“Maal kahana milega (where will I get weed?)” the reporter asked one of the beggars.
“You mean ganja?” he immediately asked.
“Yes,” the reporter said.
“How much do you want? It starts from ₹100?”
After the reporter agreed to buy, the beggar asked for cash payment.
After keeping ₹100, the beggar walked a few steps and stood there before another man came and handed over weed to him.
“This is one of the best maal from Auraiya. You will come again and again. This is my promise. I sit here every day, send anyone you know to me, I’ll get them the best product possible,” he said, handing over the items packed in a newspaper and taking some amount of weed in return.
Next, HT reporters reached a dark stretch at Husadiya crossing. A group of youngsters between 20-22 years of age were seen selling “stuff” on the railway track. Darkness concealed their faces.
They had about 50-60 small packets but the peddler ran out of the “product” due to high demand and the number of buyers.
As the broker called an associate, the crowd of customers started increasing.
“We were still awaiting our turn,” said a young customer. After about 15 minutes, both ganja and hashish arrived and people flocked to buy them.
HT reporters also visited the Aliganj area as part of the investigation. A 20-22-year-old youth was seen selling drugs near the old Hanuman temple during the daytime.
Next, HT reporters reached the Nishatganj area close to the metro station at Badshahnagar to meet another drug dealer. Here, ganja and other drugs are openly bought and sold on a large scale. The 25-year-old dealer sitting in front of us was openly selling ganja-charas. HT reporters stood in the crowd waiting for their turn to buy the goods and got them at ₹200.
Even though the state capital is mostly filled with weed, colloquially also referred to as “stuff”, “grass” and “maal”, the peddlers claimed that they can make arrangements for hash, MDMA, cocaine among others.
While weed is available from a few grams for ₹100, the rate also depends on the quality and from where it is imported. Similarly, hash is available at a price starting from ₹2000 and cocaine from ₹10,000.
There is a high demand for weed among the young floating population in the city, as claimed by the sellers.
“I have over 150 customers, majority of them are party goers. Most of these customers are students living here and studying at private universities in Gomti Nagar, Chinhat, BBD and Dewa Road areas,” said a peddler in Vibhuti Khand.
During the reality check, the HT team found the mostly young crowd, a majority of them college and university students, scoring at one of the spots on the railway track near Husadiya crossing in Gomti Nagar.
“A majority of Lucknow University students living in hostels are my permanent customers,” claimed the beggar selling “stuff” near Jhulelal Park.
In a shocking revelation, the peddlers claimed that their business is being run under the police’s nose and they, in fact, feel safe under “their protection”. A portion of the profits have to be shared for a hassle-free business, the peddlers alleged.
“It will take a few hours for us to get released when we are caught,” said a peddler.
“Our location is right behind a retired senior official’s house and there is no possibility that the police don’t know about us,” said another peddler at Kharagpur railway track.
“This place is an old spot for peddlers, we see it happening right in front of our eyes. Cops come and go, but they have turned their eyes away from it,” said a local shop owner when asked.
“We make a profit of ₹30,000-40,000 a month,” said the peddler, who claimed to be a BA student.
When asked by HT about the business being run under the police nose and with the possible protection from some cops, Sengar also said, “We would like to comment with facts and figures and what actions have been taken so far by Lucknow police.”
“Police will crack down on such men involved ahead of festival. Involvement of police officers will also be seen if that is the case,” he added.
He stressed on Lucknow police’s commitment towards law and order and checking crime.
