Mumbai drug deaths at concert spark alarm over rising narcotics use

The alleged deaths of two students following drug consumption at a high-tech music concert at NESCO Ground in Goregaon, Mumbai, have sparked widespread concern. The event, held on 11 April, reportedly saw the students suffer overdoses that led to a rapid deterioration in their condition.

They were rushed to hospital for treatment but later succumbed. A female student remains under medical care, while the Vanrai Police have arrested six individuals and launched an investigation into the incident.

Not only Mumbai but the entire state of Maharashtra has come under the spotlight over rising drug-related concerns. While police and enforcement agencies have repeatedly seized large consignments of narcotics, curbing their spread in schools, colleges, pubs and private parties remains a significant challenge.

The deaths of two students at the NESCO Ground have drawn comparisons with the situation portrayed in Udta Punjab. Prior to this incident, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had consistently maintained that the state was not facing a crisis of that scale.

However, the volume of drug seizures across Mumbai and Maharashtra paints a worrying picture. In the financial year 2025–26, up to 18 March 2026, the Airport Commissionerate at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport seized more than 1,330 kilograms of hydroponic cannabis in 244 cases, arresting 286 individuals. In addition, the Navy intercepted consignments arriving via sea routes this year, recovering 2,386 kilograms of hashish and 121 kilograms of heroin.

Mumbai Police have intensified their crackdown on drug networks in the city, seizing narcotics worth over Rs 6,738 crore in the past four years. The haul includes cocaine, cannabis, heroin, charas and codeine-based cough syrups, underscoring the scale of the problem.

Last year, Devendra Fadnavis told the state assembly that drugs worth Rs 4,249.90 crore were seized across Maharashtra in 2024. Pune accounted for the largest share at Rs 3,679.36 crore, followed by Mumbai with seizures worth Rs 513 crore.

Earlier this year, addressing the Legislative Council, Fadnavis announced the formation of a special task force to tackle the sale and trafficking of narcotics across the state. He also flagged a worrying trend—the involvement of minors in such activities. In response, a proposal has been sent to the central government to lower the age threshold for being classified as a criminal from 18 to 16 years.

Police have also rolled out a “drug-free campus” campaign across schools and colleges. However, despite sustained enforcement efforts, large quantities of drugs continue to find their way into Maharashtra and reach young users. Authorities say the trafficking of MD (mephedrone) is rising, with reports suggesting that synthetic drugs such as MDMA were distributed among a group of around 25 students at the NESCO event.

In the aftermath of the students’ deaths, the opposition has stepped up its criticism of the ruling Mahayuti government. Meanwhile, BJP ministers have defended Fadnavis, asserting that he has been actively spearheading efforts to combat the drug menace.