Balapur police have arrested two persons in connection with the death of a 17-year-old boy, who succumbed to complications after allegedly consuming a potent painkiller, CP-DOL-100, sold without a prescription.

The victim, a resident of Sulthanpur in Rangareddy district, fell critically ill on April 17 after injecting tablets dissolved in saline, a practice, police say, was encouraged by one of the accused. He was first admitted to Asra Hospital and then shifted to Osmania General Hospital, where he died on April 19, stated a report by The New Indian Express.

The arrested persons have been identified as Syed Sahil (21) of Shaheen Nagar and Siromani Jagannadham Praveen Kumar (54), owner of Srinivasa Medical Shop in Shamshabad. According to police, Sahil procured CP-DOL-100 from Praveen without a prescription and supplied it to teenagers. Initially offering the drug for free, Sahil allegedly got youngsters addicted before starting to charge them.

The victim’s father, Mohammed Abdul Qayyum, who works in Dubai, filed a complaint after learning of the incident from his wife. He rushed to Hyderabad after hearing of his son’s deteriorating condition, but the boy had died by the time he arrived.

Police seized multiple strips of CP-DOL-100, used syringes, saline bottles and mobile phones from the suspects. A case has been registered at Balapur Police Station under Sections 105, 278 and 125 read with 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and 77 of the Juvenile Justice Act, according to the report by The New Indian Express.

Authorities have urged parents to remain alert to signs of drug use among children. Medical store owners have been warned against dispensing drugs without valid prescriptions, with police saying strict action will follow any violations.