Kerala Begins ‘Operation Toofan’ Targeting Drug Networks and Campus Narcotics

Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on May 23 launched a statewide anti-narcotics initiative titled ‘Operation Toofan — The Narco Hunt’, announcing a major crackdown aimed at dismantling drug networks allegedly targeting school and college students. The announcement came after Chennithala chaired his first high-level meeting with senior police officials following his assumption of charge as Home Minister earlier this week.

The state government described the operation as a sustained and coordinated effort to eliminate narcotics trafficking networks operating across Kerala. Officials said the campaign will focus on identifying and dismantling drug supply chains, particularly those linked to inter-state networks. The initiative is intended to address what the government has termed a growing threat posed by narcotics gangs infiltrating educational campuses and influencing young people.

Chennithala stated that the administration would follow a zero-tolerance approach towards drug mafias and organised criminal groups. He stressed that the issue was not limited to law and order enforcement but also represented a broader social challenge affecting families and educational institutions. As part of the crackdown, authorities have also been instructed to take strict action against illegal sale of tobacco products near schools and colleges.

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The Home Minister also called for stronger coordination between Kerala Police and law enforcement agencies in neighbouring states to track and disrupt inter-state drug trafficking routes. He urged the public to actively cooperate with police by reporting suspicious activities, stating that community participation would be critical to the success of the campaign. Senior police officials have been directed to strengthen intelligence-sharing mechanisms to ensure faster identification of narcotics networks.

In addition to the anti-drug initiative, Chennithala announced a major administrative reform plan involving a comprehensive overhaul of 484 police stations across the state. The government aims to modernise infrastructure and improve public accessibility, with an emphasis on making police stations more citizen-friendly. He also directed officials to clear long-pending issues such as the removal of abandoned and unusable vehicles lying in police station premises across Kerala.

Officials said the combined reforms mark the beginning of a broader restructuring of Kerala’s policing system under the new leadership. Chennithala, who previously handled the Home portfolio during an earlier Congress-led government under Oommen Chandy, indicated that the focus will be on balancing strict enforcement against criminal networks with improved public service delivery and institutional transparency.

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