Kozhikode (Keralam) [India], September 5 : Keralam Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Saturday hailed the success of ‘Operation Toofan: The Narco Hunt’ and announced that the state is ready to move into the second phase of its intensive anti-drug campaign.
The Home Minister stated that the initiative has received overwhelming support from the public and will now shift focus toward grassroots-level awareness and community involvement.
The state government plans to launch a massive outreach programme later this month involving all levels of local governance to ensure a drug-free state.
Speaking to the media in Kozhikode, Chennithala said, "Operation Toofan: The Narco Hunt in Kerala is a big success. The general public is in favour of this Narco Hunt. We want to go to the second stage now. With the help of all panchayats and local bodies, we are going to go to the people door to door and make them aware of the dangerous proposition of drug consumption,” the Home Minister added.
“From September 28 onwards, we will have a statewide awareness campaign by the three-tier local bodies in the state of Kerala,” Chennithala announced.
Earlier, on June 2, Chennithala, in a post on X, said the operation would be carried out in coordination with the Health and Excise Departments and would focus on eliminating drug trafficking at its roots. "Operation Toofan: The Narco Hunt. From today... Aimed at overhauling the drug mafia in the state in coordination with the Health and Excise departments, this operation is aimed at destroying the drug menace at its root. Need prayers and support for the initiative!" the minister wrote.
The launch of the anti-narcotics drive comes amid growing concerns over the sharp rise in drug-related cases in Keralam.
Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) showed that Keralam recorded the highest number of NDPS cases in the country in 2023, with 30,697 cases registered. Ahead of the launch, Kerala Police had appealed for public participation in the campaign.