In a way, the state is making its most hard-line stand against drugs in time for the school year. When the classrooms let in students on June 1, you can count on Operation Toofan – The Narco Hunt. Chennithala has made it clear this is a statewide move to break up supply lines, keep an eye on old-timers in the game and make sure no one is hawking narcotics or tobacco on school grounds.
Operation Toofan: Schools at the centre of the crackdown
After a high-level sit-down at the Thiruvananthapuram Police HQ, the minister laid out the plan. The idea is to put a spotlight on the distribution arms that set up shop near where kids are learning. Anyone in Kerala with ties to narcotics will be put under a microscope, especially when it comes to the newer, synthetic kind of drugs.
“We will be guided by intelligence and hard data,” Chennithala said. If a syndicate is running its operations over a state line, they will get help from the forces in neighbouring states to put a stop to it. He called on the media and the public to be part of the solution in taking down the drug mafia, and made it plain that anyone who makes a habit of flouting the rules will have to answer for it.
Starting June 1, here is the lay of the land:
– A watch on all narcotics networks in the state
– Particular attention to the areas around colleges and schools
– Hitting the supply of synthetic drugs where it hurts
– Dealing with those who reoffend
– Working with police in other states as needed
A culture reset at 484 police stations
But it is not only about the drugs. The Home Minister has also put forward a plan to turn 484 police stations around, with the people in mind. “You should be able to walk in and be met with a ‘Good Morning’ and a seat, and be listened to,” he said. And the place has to be clean.
There are also the matter of the derelict and impounded cars that have been sitting on station property for years. The DGP will be moving to have them cleared out under the law. Chennithala wants to see a change in the look and feel of every station, to make them what they should be: proper places of service with staff who conduct themselves accordingly.
Protecting women, children, and the digital street
When it comes to crimes against the vulnerable, the minister has promised a firm hand. The Janamaithri model of policing will be given a boost to build up trust in the community and be more in tune with what is happening on the ground.
Then there is the issue of the roads and the internet. We are looking at using tech to modernise how we enforce the law and cut down on accidents, while new strategies for cybercrime are in the works. Even the training for our men and women in uniform will be updated to fit the times.
Oversight, staffing, and next steps
You want to see leadership where it counts? A committee of five has been formed to look at how we can have Sub-Inspectors, Circle Inspectors and Deputy Superintendents at the stations on a more regular basis. We will act on their findings.
Chennithala sees it as two sides of the same coin: stop the flow of drugs and fix the way we do our job. With the operation and the reforms underway, the message is out to everyone from parents to the general public that we are after a safer environment.
Why it matters now
The numbers don’t lie; synthetic drugs are a problem in Kerala. By timing this with the return to school, we are trying to nip the peddling in the bud before the term gets in full swing. And if the changes in the stations hold, you can expect a different kind of experience from the police – one that is prompt and courteous.
The road ahead
It will come down to how well we put it into practice. Can we keep the pressure on? Do we follow through with the repeat offenders? Are the stations any different? The word has been given and the review is in place. Now the rest of us will be watching to see if the results are there.
