Kerala Police has launched a new statewide anti-drug crackdown titled ‘Operation Toofan: The Narco Hunt’. Announcing the initiative, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said the primary objective is to dismantle gangs targeting children and youth with narcotics. Drug users, peddlers, suppliers and distribution networks will all come under strict police surveillance, with a dedicated operational framework already prepared for the project.
To tackle interstate drug syndicates, the Kerala DGP will coordinate with police chiefs of other states. Special monitoring will also be introduced to prevent the inflow of chemical and synthetic narcotics, including hybrid ganja. The minister said strict action would be taken against tobacco sales near schools and against drug-linked activities in five-star hotels, DJ parties, and gatherings in backwater and coastal regions.
Speaking after a meeting with senior police officials, Chennithala said the government would adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards drug trafficking. He also announced a major reform programme aimed at making all 484 police stations in Kerala more people-friendly. Citizens visiting stations, he said, must be treated with dignity and respect, and police personnel would be encouraged to greet visitors with “Good Morning” or “Namaskaram.”
The DGP has also been directed to improve cleanliness in police stations and dispose of vehicles abandoned for years through auctions.
A five-member committee led by the ADGP (Headquarters) has been constituted to study and restructure police station functioning. Chennithala said there was an assessment that the previous government’s decision to shift station-level responsibilities from Sub-Inspectors to Circle Inspectors had adversely affected policing. Reforms would be implemented after the committee submits its report.
The Janamaithri Police initiative and the Student Police Cadet programme will be strengthened further to steer young people away from crime. Police will also intensify efforts against cybercrime, including loan app frauds, social media abuse, online hate campaigns and cryptocurrency scams.
The minister said he would discuss with the chief minister the need for additional personnel and technological infrastructure to handle cybercrime more effectively. New mobile applications and IT systems will also be introduced to help reduce road accidents.
Police training syllabi will be revised to reflect changing times. Chennithala also said the government was seriously concerned about the increasing number of suicides within the police force. Senior officers have been instructed to reduce unnecessary pressure on subordinate staff and allow them greater operational freedom.
The Home Minister further announced that legal action would begin once the SIT submits its report in the Nava Kerala Sadas assault case. The new Cabinet had earlier decided to order a reinvestigation and constitute a Special Investigation Team into allegations of police brutality during former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s 2023 Nava Kerala Sadas outreach programme in Alappuzha.
Responding to questions over the appointment of former Chief Electoral Officer Ratan U. Khelkar as the Chief Minister’s secretary after the recent elections, Chennithala said there was nothing unusual about the decision. “He is a capable officer, and the government has the authority to recall him,” he said, adding that no allegations of malpractice had been raised against Khelkar during or after the elections.
Referring to comparisons with West Bengal, where Rahul Gandhi had criticised the appointment of former Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal as Chief Secretary, Chennithala said the situations were not comparable because allegations had been raised there regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.