Hyderabad police crack down on sale of Cigarettes to minors in Jubilee Hills

Hyderabad: Acting on a complaint, Hyderabad police conducted a raid at two kirana shops in Jubilee Hills and apprehended two shop owners for illegally selling cigarettes to minors.

The operation was led by Inspector SK Lal Madhar of HNPS-TGANB, along with his team, under the directions of the Director of TGANB.

Complaint and Investigation

A complaint was initially received about a shop selling cigarettes to minor boys near SBI Bank, Jubilee Hills Road No. 10. During surveillance, the police identified a second shop engaging in the same illegal activity.

The investigation team secretly recorded video evidence of the shop owners selling cigarettes to minors before taking immediate action.

Accused and Legal Action

The arrested shop owners were identified as:

• Gandham Pramila (48) and K. Venkateshwara Rao (55), shop owners in the area.

The police seized a large quantity of cigarette packets from both shops and registered Crime No. 127/2025 under Section 24(1) of COTPA (Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act) and Section 77 of the Juvenile Justice Act.

Inspector Lal Madhar stated, “The sale of cigarettes to minors is a serious offense. We conducted a thorough investigation and ensured legal action against the accused.”

Adding legal perspective, Advocate Raaj Mohan, speaking to Newsmeter said, “Under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), selling tobacco products to minors is strictly prohibited and punishable with fines and imprisonment. Additionally, Section 77 of the Juvenile Justice Act categorizes the sale of harmful substances to minors as a punishable offense, ensuring stronger enforcement against such practices.”

Minors Identified and Counseled

Two minor boys were caught purchasing cigarettes during the operation:

Both were counseled in the presence of their parents about the harmful effects of tobacco consumption and later handed over to their families.

The police have urged citizens to report any instances of cigarette sales to minors, emphasizing that strict action will be taken against violators. Further investigation into similar illegal activities is ongoing.