Chennai, Jul 14 (PTI) Taking suo motu cognizance of media reports about prevalence of toffees laced with intoxicating substance, National Human Rights Commission has asked the Chennai District Collector to apprise it of the steps taken to handle the situation.
Referring to a 13-year-old boy falling ill after allegedly consuming a candy which was reportedly laced with an intoxicating substance (bhang), the NHRC said in a notice, "a school boy had to be admitted to a hospital after consuming drug chocolates which he purchased from a shop in Chennai."
"A huge quantity of toffees having drugs was seized from a godown in Tamil Nadu," it said, quoting media reports, in a press release.
NHRC said it has sent notice to Chennai District Collector returnable in four weeks, directing the authority to "inform about the steps being taken to deal with the situation."
The commission observed that the "menace, as reported in the newspapers, is a serious threat to the life and safety of the younger generation, mainly the students and teenagers, who can be easily lured by the anti-social elements."
"Seizure of such a large quantity of drug chocolates in the area also indicates the laxity on the part of the department concerned," the NHRC noted.