Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Saturday, 23 May launched 'Operation Toofan — The Narco Hunt', a statewide anti-narcotics offensive aimed at dismantling drug networks that are reportedly targeting school and college students across Kerala. The announcement follows Chennithala's first high-level security review with senior police officials since assuming charge as Home Minister earlier this week.

What Operation Toofan Entails

Chennithala described the operation as a sustained, coordinated mission to uproot narcotics networks from their foundations. He warned that drug gangs have been deliberately infiltrating educational campuses, framing the crackdown as a social imperative rather than a routine law-and-order exercise. Strict enforcement action will also be taken against vendors selling tobacco products near educational institutions, as part of the broader campus-protection push.

The State Police Chief has been directed to establish close coordination with law enforcement agencies in neighbouring states and other parts of the country to trace and disrupt inter-state drug supply chains feeding Kerala's underground narcotics market.

Zero-Tolerance Signal from New Government

Chennithala, who previously held the Home portfolio during the Congress government under the late Oommen Chandy, is handling the crucial assignment for the second time in his political career. He made clear that the new administration would adopt a zero-tolerance stance against narcotics syndicates and organised crime operating across the state. The minister characterised the drug mafia as one of Kerala's most serious emerging threats.

He also appealed to the public to actively cooperate with police by reporting suspicious activities and movements in their localities — a signal that the government intends to build community partnerships alongside enforcement action.

Overhaul of 484 Police Stations

Beyond the narcotics offensive, Chennithala announced a comprehensive reform of all 484 police stations across Kerala, stressing the need for a more humane and citizen-friendly policing environment. He said police stations must stop intimidating ordinary citizens who approach them for justice and assistance.

The minister also directed officials to prepare an urgent action plan to clear the large number of abandoned and long-impounded vehicles that have accumulated in police station compounds across the state.

What Comes Next

The twin announcements — a narco crackdown and a structural police reform — signal the beginning of what the government is positioning as an ambitious overhaul of Kerala's law enforcement architecture under Chennithala's leadership. Operational details of Operation Toofan, including deployment timelines and inter-agency coordination frameworks, are expected to be formalised in the coming days. Whether the initiative translates into sustained enforcement or remains a high-profile launch will depend on ground-level follow-through across the state's districts.