CHENNAI: Signalling a focus on women’s safety and a crackdown on narcotics networks, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, on his very first day in office, approved the creation of a specialised police unit and sanctioned 65 Anti-Narcotic Task Force (ANTF) stations across Tamil Nadu.
The government announced the formation of the Singapenn Sirappu Athiradi Padai (Singapenn Special Strike Force), a dedicated wing aimed at improving women’s safety, besides expanding the ANTF network to all districts.
The strike force will have 36 sanctioned posts. Of these, only the post of Inspector General of Police (IGP), who will head the force, has been newly created. The remaining posts, including one Superintendent of Police, two Deputy Superintendents of Police, four inspectors, eight sub-inspectors and 20 personnel from other ranks, will be filled through redeployment from the existing police force.
The force was created with prevention and protection as its primary and singular goal to improve women’s safety, the order stated. The special wing will identify vulnerable and crime-prone locations, conduct surveillance and deploy personnel in places frequently accessed by women, including bus stands, railway stations and educational institutions. It will also receive complaints related to women’s safety and coordinate rescue operations and awareness initiatives with government departments and NGOs.
However, the order did not clarify the operational structure or deployment pattern of the 36-member force across all districts and nine city police commissionerates.
In another major order, Vijay sanctioned 65 ANTF stations - one in each of the 37 districts and 28 spread across the nine city police commissionerates. At present, the ANTF functions in only 15 districts. Police sources said the expansion would strengthen anti-drug enforcement, especially since local police personnel are already burdened with law and order and bandobast duties.
When TNIE contacted officials regarding the timeline for operationalising the schemes, a home department official said, “Administrative approval has been granted, and detailed proposals on workflow, finances and implementation are being prepared for submission to head of police department.”