KOZHIKODE: A 28-year-old man, Shanid Saleem, from Ambayathode in Kozhikode, died while undergoing treatment after swallowing MDMA packets while attempting to escape police in Thamarassery.
The incident occurred on Friday when a police patrol noticed Shanid behaving suspiciously. Spotting the officers, he swallowed two packets of MDMA and attempted to flee. The police chased him down and arrested him.
After his arrest, Shanid confessed to ingesting MDMA, prompting officers to rush him to Thamarassery Taluk Hospital. As his condition worsened, he was shifted to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital, where an endoscopy confirmed the presence of the drugs in his stomach. Despite medical efforts, he died on Saturday at 10:30 AM in the ICU.
Ayyub K. Ambayathode, a local resident and a member of the local mahal committee, expressed concern over the increasing drug-related activities in the region.
"Youths from both within and outside the district frequently visit various parts of Thamarassery, making it a hotspot for drug-related activities. Law enforcement agencies, including the police, excise, and vigilance committees, have conducted multiple raids and seized narcotics from such groups. However, despite these efforts, the issue persists," he said.
He further pointed out that local residents hesitate to report drug-related incidents due to fear of repercussions. "Even when people witness drug abuse, they are reluctant to come forward and give statements to the police. This silence enables the illegal trade to continue unchecked," he noted.
Referring to previous incidents, Ayyub highlighted that Kudikkulummaram, located just 3 km from Ambayathode, was the site of a major police operation against a notorious drug mafia led by an individual named Ayyub. He also mentioned another alarming case from nearby Engapuzha, where Aashiq, a 24-year-old drug addict, brutally murdered his mother, Subaida, at a relative’s house.
Shanid was known to be reserved, rarely socializing, according to his 68-year-old paternal grandmother, Pathumma, whom he used to live with. She revealed that he often returned home late at night.
Police officials said that Shanid had been involved in NDPS cases earlier. He became active in drug peddling after returning from a job in the Gulf. The postmortem revealed that he died within 24 hours of swallowing a high dose of MDMA.