Hyderabad: How EAGLE team bust drugs racket in Bowenpally’s Medha High School

Hyderabad: In a shocking revelation, the Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) busted an Alprazolam manufacturing racket being run inside the premises of Medha High School in Bowenpally.

The school, meant to educate children up to Class 7, had secretly been converted into a large-scale drug production unit, sending shockwaves across the city.

Director and two aides arrested

The accused have been identified as Malela Jaya Prakash Goud (39), director of Medha High School, along with his aides P. Uday Sai (23), a driver, and G. Murali Sai (23), a transporter.

All three were arrested, and police seized 7 kg of Alprazolam, chemical equipment, and Rs 21 lakh cash believed to be proceeds from sales.

Classrooms turned into drug units

Investigators found that Room No. 6, the chemistry lab, and the cellar of the school were being used as drug manufacturing units.

Instead of being used for student experiments, the chemistry lab housed eight reactors and dryers, capable of producing bulk quantities of Alprazolam.

Operations behind a mask of education

Though around 130 children were enrolled, the director allegedly ran the school as a cover to avoid suspicion. The racket operated on a routine schedule, with drug production from Monday to Saturday and deliveries planned on Sundays.

Ties to Toddy depots

Preliminary investigation revealed that Jaya Prakash sourced the formula for Alprazolam from one Guruvareddy through an associate named Shekar.

He supplied the narcotic to toddy depots in Boothpur and nearby villages, where it was allegedly mixed with toddy for distribution.

Source of chemicals under probe

The EAGLE team is now probing the supply chain of precursor chemicals, keeping several companies operating under B2B and B2C models under the scanner. Officials are also investigating how long the racket had been operating and if more individuals are linked to the network.

Education department verification

Authorities suspect the school was never intended to function as a genuine educational institution. The Education Department has been asked to verify Medha High School’s recognition status to determine if it was legally operating.