What is Operation Toofan? Why it matters? Why Kerala govt announced start of next phase from Nov 16? All ques answered

Kerala is stepping up its fight against drug abuse, with the state government announcing November 16 as the launch date for the next phase of its anti-narcotics campaign, Operation Toofan.

The upcoming initiative, called 'Toofan Care', will focus on rehabilitating people struggling with drug addiction and helping them return to normal life, alongside the ongoing crackdown on drug trafficking networks.

Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala announced the development on Monday, saying that 35 hospitals across the state had been prepared to provide rehabilitation facilities. The initiative marks an expansion of the government's strategy, which initially focused on identifying drug networks, conducting raids and taking legal action against those involved in the narcotics trade.

According to ANI, Chennithala stated, "Operation Care, launched as part of Operation Toofan, aims to rehabilitate people addicted to drugs and help them return to normal life."

He added, "Necessary facilities have been arranged at 35 hospitals to support the initiative."

What is Operation Toofan?

Operation Toofan, officially called 'Operation Toofan: The Narco Hunt', is a statewide anti-drug campaign launched by the Kerala government on June 2.

The initiative is being implemented by the state Home Department and Kerala Police, in coordination with departments including Health and Excise. Its primary objective is to dismantle drug trafficking networks, curb the supply of narcotic substances, prevent the spread of synthetic drugs such as MDMA and protect young people from substance abuse.

The campaign also seeks public participation in identifying drug-related activities and strengthening awareness about addiction.

Why is Kerala launching the next phase on November 16?

The November 16 rollout will place greater emphasis on the rehabilitation and recovery of people affected by drug addiction.

The government believes that enforcement measures and arrests alone cannot address the drug problem. Providing treatment, counselling and rehabilitation is also necessary to help people overcome substance dependence and prevent them from returning to drug use.

Chennithala said the state had already brought the issue of alleged loopholes in the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act to the attention of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

"There were instances of accused persons being released from prison due to certain loopholes in the NDPS Act. The issue had been brought to the attention of the Union Home Minister, and the state had conveyed the need for amendments to the Act," ANI quoted him as saying.

The minister further said the Union Home Minister had called for collective efforts to launch a mass movement against drug abuse.

"That is exactly what we are doing," Chennithala said.

What will Operation Toofan's rehabilitation programme involve?

The upcoming Toofan Care initiative will use the 35 hospitals prepared across Kerala to provide treatment and rehabilitation facilities to people struggling with addiction.

The focus will be on helping affected individuals access medical assistance, de-addiction services and support to resume their everyday lives.

The initiative is significant because it expands the campaign beyond policing and prosecution to address the health and social consequences of substance abuse.

Kerala's government has also been working towards involving local communities, families, educational institutions and health workers in identifying people who may need early intervention.

Why does Operation Toofan matter? What do the drug-related figures show?

The campaign comes amid concerns over drug trafficking and substance abuse in Kerala. According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data cited by ANI, Kerala recorded 30,697 cases under the NDPS Act in 2023, the highest number among Indian states.

The scale of the problem has prompted the state to combine enforcement with prevention, awareness and rehabilitation.

What happened during Phase 1 of Operation Toofan?

The first phase primarily focused on enforcement, including raids, investigations, arrests and action against drug distribution networks, particularly around educational institutions.

Kerala Police had registered 10,070 cases and arrested 10,883 people under the campaign by September. The police also seized 23,438.746 grams of MDMA, 1,214.354 kg of ganja and 4,738.269 grams of hashish oil.

The campaign also conducted 9,529 awareness classes and 649 counselling sessions across the state.

Home Minister Chennithala had claimed that the first phase helped reduce drug use in Kerala by 20-30%. He made the claim while launching the community-focused Operation Toofan 2.0 in Malappuram on September 28.

About the Author

Garvit Bhirani is a journalist based in Gurugram. He is a Deputy Chief Content Producer at LiveMint, where he covers national and international news stories, focusing on accuracy and compelling storytelling for readers. <br><br> With a total of six years of experience in journalism, he has previously worked with Vaco Binary Semantics for Google, taking on the role of news curation lead, and reported from the field on health, education, and agriculture stories for 101reporters and News9. He has also served as a content editor for entertainment and news media organisations. <br><br> Garvit holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism and mass communication from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University and Gurugram University, respectively. During college days, he joined India’s only non-profit student journalism network, where he anchored daily news updates and produced his own weekly show called ‘Data Fix’. <br><br> He was selected for the YES Foundation Media for Social Change Fellowship in Delhi, the Talking Data to the Fourth Pillar residential workshop, and the VOICE Fellowship in Pune. <br><br> He holds certificates in COVID-19-verification reporting, data journalism, food & agriculture, tech policy, media literacy and countering misinformation, and tackling election disinformation courses from Thomson Foundation, IndiaSpend, The Dialogue, US Mission in India, and AFP. <br><br> He can be reached on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/garvit-bhirani">LinkedIn</a> or on <a href="https://x.com/GarvitBhirani">@garvitbhirani</a> on X