Other DCPs South East Zone K. Sreekanth and Chandrayangutta, all three arrested, during a press conference on Wednesday. | Photo credit: By arrangement
Hyderabad police have arrested two men in connection with the death of two auto drivers who collapsed and died after being administered Atranium 25 mg, an anesthetic drug, near Farooq-e-Azam Masjid in Chandrayangutta.
The accused have been identified as Choude Akash, 23, a ward boy of ABS Hospital, Chikkadpally, Jarpati Shiva Shankar, 19, an auto driver, and Yamjala Kalyan, 23, a band player.
The police also detained two hospital employees — neurosurgeon S Jaipal Reddy, chairman and CEO of ABS Hospital, and Mohammed Vikaruddin, a student nurse and surgical assistant — for negligence in handling controlled drugs.
According to the police, on November 26, Reddy requested 25 vials of Atranium for the operation, of which four were used. The remaining vials were left unsecured in the OR in violation of protocols. Vikaruddin was responsible for arranging the medicines but failed to ensure their proper storage. This carelessness, officials said, allowed Akash to steal the ampoules that were later misused.
The case came to light in the early hours of December 3 when Jahangir Khan (25) and Syed Irfan (29) were found unconscious in a car after injecting themselves.
Investigations revealed that Irfan met a friend on the night of December 2 and later contacted Jahangir to arrange the Termina injection the duo was used to. Since this was not available, Jhangir’s friend procured a 25mg ampule of Atranium instead. Irfan and Jhangir, along with two others, gathered near a mosque, where Irfan filled syringes with the drug and administered a small dose to one companion, who briefly collapsed but regained consciousness. Irfan and Jhangir then took the remaining injections and collapsed shortly afterwards. Both died at the scene.
Based on the statement of a surviving witness, the police first arrested Kalyan, who confessed to regularly procuring such injections through a supplier. He told the police that he and Jhangir had bought ₹2,000 worth of ampoules on the night of the incident.
The second arrest was that of Shankar, locally known as Chintu, who confessed to obtaining Atranium through his associate Akash. Shiva, who is also addicted to injectable substances, sold the numbing drug to Kalyan and Jahangir after receiving it a day earlier.
The third suspect, Akash, a boy from ABS Hospital in Chikkadpally and formerly employed at MNJ Cancer Hospital, confessed to stealing four ampoules of Atranium from the operating theater while cleaning up after surgery on November 26. Police said he hid the stolen vials in his home before selling them to Shiva. Investigation revealed that Akash was addicted to ganja, liquor and Termine injections. He was shifted from MNJ Hospital after he fell unconscious after being administered an anesthetic drug. He has been working at the ABS hospital since November 15. Akash was earlier arrested by the Borabanda police in a theft case.
Senior officials from the South East zone praised the Chandrayangutta police team for quickly cracking the case and arresting the accused. A reward is recommended for police officers who participate in solving a crime.
Published – 11 Dec 2025 0:17 IST
