KOCHI: The Kerala Police are enhancing their anti-narcotic operations with the procurement of drones for surveillance, search, and tracking purposes. The drones will be part of the police’s ‘Yodhav’ scheme, aimed at combating the growing drug menace in Kerala.
Recently, the Cyber Operations Wing of the Kerala Police issued a tender to procure 20 drones, for an estimated total cost of Rs 60 lakh, under the scheme.
“Surveillance plays a crucial role in anti-narcotic operations. Drug peddlers often operate in isolated areas. The mere arrival of police officers alerts the peddlers, who then escape and hide the contraband. The drones will help in the surveillance of the suspects and assist in search and tracking operations,” a police officer explained. He said they have only floated a tender for the drones at present. “The procurement will proceed once we receive bids from suppliers,” the officer said.
As per the police department, the drones need to have some specific features, including the ability to perform vertical take-off and landing, a minimum flight time of 20 minutes, a 2 km range, and ability to fly at altitudes of not less than 400m.
Additionally, the drones should also be able to record and transmit high-resolution videos and capture photographs. “The plan is to equip the District Anti-Narcotic Special Action Force (DANSAF) units in each police district with drones. Besides narcotics control, the drone technology will also be integrated into police stations for maintaining law and order,” the officer said.
DANSAF is the police’s specialised unit focused on monitoring drug peddlers and gathering intelligence for anti-narcotic operations. In 2023, the Kerala Police registered 30,697 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, while 22,643 cases under the Act have already been registered until October this year.
Last year, Kerala became the first state in India to implement drone surveillance units in all police districts. Additionally, 25 cops were trained in drone operations at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. Moving a step further toward strengthening security, the police are also set to acquire an anti-drone system capable of neutralising hostile drones.
Yodhav scheme
The Yodhav scheme, launched in 2022, aims to tackle drug menace through collaboration with multiple agencies and local bodies. The police also launched the Yodhav app, which allows citizens to report drug-related activities.