The death of a Ness Wadia College student at a Khadki apartment has highlighted the increasing drug use in Pune and the dangers involved.

Prima facie it appears that Ankit Arun Sharma (19), son of a Delhi-based businessman, died due to an overdose of drugs during a party with friends at Khadki on Friday night. Police are also probing other angles as the autopsy report points to a head injury as well. The cops are investigating a racket of peddlers who sell drugs at cheap rate to lure outstation students.

Ankit, a student of second year BBA, had failed in the final exams. He sat for the exams again, which concluded on Friday. That night, Sharma and three batchmates went to the home of a friend, Mohit Grover, at Laxmi Narayan Kunj in Khadki. There, they drank and took drugs. After the party, they went to sleep. The next morning, Ankit did not wake up. His friends rushed him to a local hospital where doctors declared him dead.

Khadki police have registered a case of accidental death. Inspector Ashok Shejal, who is investigating the case, said syringes, bottles and cigarettes have been seized from the place and sent for tests.

“The cause of the death has not been ascertained. The viscera of the deceased has been preserved for forensic tests. We are investigating how the youths got the drugs,” he said.

Preliminary investigations reveal that Ankit bought brown sugar and other drugs from a peddler in Koregaon Park, where he used to live earlier. Koregaon Park is known to be a hub of drug peddlers.

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