Coimbatore: The Coimbatore city police on Monday launched a major surprise search operation, targeting college student accommodations to control drug sale and consumption.Led by five inspectors of police alongside regional police teams, more than 100 personnel were deployed into multiple special squads for simultaneous inspections.The crackdown targeted student residences, rental rooms, gents’ hostels and lodges located adjacent to colleges in areas like Podanur, Sundarapuram, Eachanari, Kuniyamuthur, Selvapuram, BK Pudur, Balu Garden and Karumbukadai.Police searched the premises for illegal drug activity and identified unauthorised outsiders staying in student accommodations to inspect them for contraband. Alongside the searches, police placed suspected drug peddlers and users under strict surveillance to track illicit supply chains.During the operation, officers seized five vehicles that lacked proper documentation or were modified with altered silencers creating noise pollution.“We have appointed a nodal officer for schools and colleges. Similarly, a police officer has been designated as the nodal officer for coordination to maintain continuous monitoring. We plan to hold monthly meetings and are considering holding the first one in the first week of September. Furthermore, we will instruct colleges to set up control rooms to monitor CCTV cameras. If necessary, we are also considering connecting key college locations, such as entry gates, to the police control room,” a senior police officer said.
