Tamil Nadu police arrested more than 400 people and questioned over 15,000 criminal suspects during a two-day statewide special drive conducted on Monday and Tuesday after a series of murders was reported on Sunday, according to the police.
The operation covered suspected habitual offenders, drug offenders and people accused of traffic violations and public nuisance. Police said 8,626 of those questioned were listed as rowdies. Of them, 443 were remanded in judicial custody, while Legal Action Reports were initiated against 796 habitual offenders for preventive surveillance.
The police also checked 1,624 people identified as drug offenders and arrested 77 people for alleged drug peddling. The operation extended beyond criminal cases, with traffic enforcement teams booking 2,865 cases of drunk driving, 1,243 cases of rash driving and 998 cases of overspeeding.
Drone patrols were conducted across districts and cities during the drive. Police said the patrols led to 1,859 cases being registered against people for drinking in public places, while 195 people were remanded in judicial custody.
In Chennai, police detained 222 people and arrested 36. Chennai Commissioner A Amalraj directed special teams led by inspectors to conduct the checks under the supervision of deputy commissioners. The city-level operation formed part of the wider statewide enforcement exercise.
In Avadi, police questioned 227 people and remanded 25. In Chengalpattu district, referred to as Chengunram in the police account, 112 people were checked and 23 were remanded. Police also took action against 17 people under Section 75 of the Tamil Nadu City Police Act. Avadi Commissioner T Senthilkumar said 56 people were warned of strict action and released.
In the central zone, which includes Tiruchirappalli and neighbouring districts, police searched more than 600 houses linked to history-sheeters over the two-day period. The police said 32 cases were registered and 34 criminals were arrested. Similar action against habitual offenders was also reported in Madurai and Coimbatore.
The drive combined preventive surveillance with arrests, drug-enforcement cases, traffic checks and action against public drinking. The police account did not provide details of the individual murder cases that prompted the operation. It said the statewide exercise followed a series of murders reported on Sunday.
The operation’s next steps include continued surveillance of habitual offenders, follow-up investigation in the registered cases and further enforcement by district and city police teams. Authorities have not announced an end date for the preventive checks.
