Hyderabad Police carried out a large scale special enforcement drive titled “Operation Safe School” aimed at curbing the spread of drug abuse and protecting students from harmful addictions in areas surrounding educational institutions.
As part of the operation, around 5,000 police personnel were deployed across the city to conduct simultaneous inspections. A total of 558 shops located near schools and colleges were checked during the drive, focusing mainly on the illegal sale of tobacco products and other regulated substances to minors.
The operation was led and closely monitored by the City Police Commissioner, who emphasized strict enforcement of laws related to public health and youth safety. Authorities registered cases under relevant provisions of the COTPA Act, 2003 and the Juvenile Justice Act, targeting violations involving the sale of tobacco products near educational zones.
Officials stated that the drive is part of a broader strategy to strengthen surveillance through the Hyderabad Narcotics Enforcement Wing (H-NEW), including continuous monitoring and dedicated enforcement teams to prevent such illegal activities in the future.
Police described the initiative as a positive and necessary step toward building a drug free environment for students, stressing that protecting young people from addiction requires coordinated action from law enforcement, schools and families.
At the same time, there is growing public discussion that similar strict monitoring should also extend to all alcohol selling outlets near educational institutions, to ensure a fully safe and healthy environment for students. Citizens and activists argue that consistent enforcement across all forms of substance related businesses would strengthen the impact of such operations.
Authorities have urged educational institutions and parents to remain alert and report any violations, reaffirming that such drives will continue as part of long term preventive policing.
