Karnataka: Alcohol bottles, cigarettes found lying inside Belur govt hostel; Parents express outrage
By Vinaykumar Patil | First Published Sep 2, 2024, 10:25 AM ISTA viral video from Belur Taluk shows students at a government hostel using drugs and alcohol. Tehsildar Mamata M. confirmed alcohol and tobacco were found on-site. The District Collector suspended the hostel staff. Social Welfare Department officials claim the video is from last year. Local leaders express frustration over unaddressed issues.
In a troubling incident from Belur Taluk, Hassan District, a video has surfaced showing students from the Pre-Matric Government Boys' Hostel in Bikkodi smoking ganja, beedis, and cigarettes, and appearing intoxicated with alcohol. The video, which has quickly gone viral on social media, has sparked outrage among parents and the public, who now demand an immediate investigation into the matter.
Following the viral incident, Tehsildar Mamata M. visited the hostel on Sunday for an inspection. During the visit, it was discovered that not only had the students been consuming alcohol and tobacco, but a bottle of liquor and cigarette remnants were also found within the hostel premises. The District Collector has since issued a notice to suspend the hostel warden, Chandrasekhar, along with the kitchen staff and watchman. A formal notice has also been issued to the Social Welfare Department official overseeing the hostel.
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Ramesh, an official from the Social Welfare Department, confirmed that the video did not depict a recent incident but rather a situation from last year. According to Ramesh, the footage shows former students indulging in drugs, alcohol, and smoking. Currently, around 38 students from classes 8 to 10 are housed in the Bikkodi hostel, which is supervised by one warden and two assistants. Despite this supervision, the recent video showing some students sneaking beedis and cigarettes has raised serious concerns.
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Local leaders, including KDP members Nandish, Chetan, and Jyoti, have voiced their frustration, revealing that they had previously alerted the Social Welfare Department about similar issues, but no action was taken. They also claimed that the wardens had been neglecting their duties, leaving responsibilities to the assistants, who were not adequately equipped to handle such issues.
The situation is further complicated by reports of a prior incident where a minor student allegedly attempted to assault the warden after being questioned about the illicit substances. There are also rumours suggesting that the controversial video may have been leaked due to internal disputes among the hostel staff members.
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