Jamshedpur police arrested eight youths who were consuming brown sugar in a slum under Adityapur police station in adjoining Seraikela-Kharsawan district on Sunday morning.

The arrested were in their early twenties and residents of various localities of Jamshedpur. They had travelled to Adityapur Muslim Bustee to consume drugs.

The drug seller, a resident of the same slum, however, managed to escape.

The arrest was part of a special drive launched by the sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), Seraikela, Rakesh Ranjan, along with the Adityapur police station officer in-charge, Shusma Kumari, from Sunday.

“We had been getting information that some youngsters visited the slum in Adityapur to consume drugs but had not been able to make a breakthrough. Today, we received information that over half-a-dozen youths had assembled in an abandoned house in the slum. A team of police officers raided the place and nabbed those present,” Shusma Kumari told The Telegraph Online.

The Adityapur police station officer in-charge said a task force had been set up under the leadership of the sub-divisional police officer, Seraikela, to work against those supplying and selling brown sugar.

“We received information about a middle-aged lady, Dolly, who stayed in the slum and smuggled the brown sugar. She is reportedly still actively involved in smuggling,”she said.

Due to the sale and consumption of brown sugar at Adityapur, crimes like snatching, theft and extortion have gone up considerably.

Youngsters are reportedly using the drugs not only in the slum but also at other localities.

A police official at Adityapur said the decision to conduct the drive against brown sugar smugglers was taken after the gang-rape of a 16-year-old girl at a dilapidated government school building in Saldih Bustee in Adityapur on June 17.

“The victim, a resident of Majhitola, jumped into the Kharkai river to save herself from being raped further, and drowned. The police team investigating the case found evidence of consumption of brown sugar in the building. The police then decided to launch a special drive against those involved in the racket,” said the official.

A 24-year-old youth, who was a resident of Mango, died of consumption of brown sugar at a lodge in Adityapur last year.

The police had then launched an operation against the woman named Dolly. However, she managed to escape to Kapali Bustee under Chandil police station near Mango.