A routine exercise of checking school bags in Bengaluru schools revealed that students were in possession of condoms, contraceptives, cigarettes and whiteners.

Speaking to IANS, D Shashikumar, General Secretary of the Associated Managements of Schools in Karnataka (KAMS) said that incidents such as consuming alcohol and having shots of vodka in schools have become common these days. But, it is disturbing that substances are found, he said.

Shashikumar told IANS on Wednesday, November 30 that this is just the tip of the iceberg. The schools have decided to send these children on a 10-day holiday. The management has also decided to keep the information confidential and arrange to counsel the students and their parents, reported IANS.

The condoms and contraceptives were found in the bags of Class X students, both boys and girls. Upon questioning, the students told the teaching staff that they needed to have some fun amid their tight schedule, sources said, as per IANS.

The parents and school management conceal these facts in the fear of a bad reputation, said Shashikumar. There are small children who are drug peddlers. If the matter reaches a high-level committee, we will speak about it, he added. It was a routine exercise taken up by the school management as per the advice of KAMS. "I made a submission to the Child Welfare Committee in this regard four days ago but there has been no response," Shashikumar said.

Sources in the Ministry of Education said that they have not received any complaints in this regard so far. The checking was conducted mainly in the schools located on the outskirts of Bengaluru.