Kerala’s Operation Toofan: Rape, POCSO Cases Fall as Drug Seizures Soar

Crimes against women and children declined in Kerala during the first 100 days of Operation Toofan, while drug-related cases, arrests and narcotics seizures increased, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said on Wednesday.

According to a statement issued to mark 100 days of the operation, cases registered against women and children fell from 13,631 during the corresponding period last year to 13,371 this year, a decline of 1.9 per cent.

Rape cases declined from 740 to 593, while serious cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act fell from 595 to 514. Kidnapping cases dropped from 374 to 315, dowry deaths from four to one, and human trafficking cases from 11 to four.

Other serious crimes also declined during the period. Murder cases fell from 79 to 70, while culpable homicide cases decreased from 29 to 22. Cases of abetment of suicide dropped from 32 to 16.

At the same time, enforcement against drugs increased under Operation Toofan. Drug-related cases rose from 9,208 to 10,301, while arrests increased from 9,947 to 11,146. Police seized around 1,259 kg of narcotic substances, compared with 1,058.66 kg during the corresponding period last year.

MDMA seizures increased from 8.211 kg to around 24 kg. In Malappuram, seizures rose from 1.200 kg to 15.176 kg. Brown sugar seizures increased 42-fold, while charas seizures rose by 279.5 per cent.

Police also destroyed 2,398 cannabis plants, compared with 33 in the previous year. Railway enforcement against inter-state drug trafficking increased, with cases rising from 34 to 115 and arrests from 22 to 81. Cannabis seizures through railway-related enforcement increased from 170.773 kg to 394.773 kg.

Malappuram recorded the highest number of drug cases, with 1,022 cases and 1,181 arrests, followed by Kozhikode City with 1,007 cases. Kannur Rural recorded the lowest number of cases at 151.

Operation Toofan was launched on June 2 to target drug production, transportation and distribution. Chennithala said its second phase would focus on identifying drug sources, dismantling supply networks, strengthening border checks, eliminating cannabis cultivation, bringing accused persons to justice and providing de-addiction treatment to people affected by drug addiction.