Is Malappuram Kerala’s drug hotspot? Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala responds with arrest data

Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has cautioned against equating higher arrest figures with higher levels of drug-related crime in a district, saying the numbers also reflect police enforcement and detection.

He was responding to reports in right-wing media claiming that Muslim-dominated Malappuram had recorded the highest number of arrests under the state’s anti-drug drive, Operation Toofan.

In a series of posts on X on Saturday evening, Chennithala pointed out that some geographical districts in Kerala are administered through separate City and Rural police districts.

He said comparing such units separately while treating Malappuram as one police district would not provide a uniform picture.

“When City and Rural police figures are combined for a geographical comparison: Ernakulam - 1,393 arrests, Kozhikode - 1,373, Malappuram - 999,” Chennithala said.

Kozhikode recorded the highest number of cases, with 1,327, he added.

The minister also warned against interpreting higher numbers of arrests or cases as proof that a district has a more serious drug problem.

“More arrests do not mean worse people. More cases do not mean a worse district,” he said.

According to Chennithala, the figures can also reflect the extent of police detection and enforcement, as well as information provided by citizens.

“They are records of action - not certificates of character,” he said.

Operation Toofan targets drug networks

Chennithala said ranking districts by arrests was not the objective of Operation Toofan.

The anti-drug operation is focused on identifying sources and sellers, disrupting supply networks and preventing narcotics from reaching young people, he said.

“Arrests measure enforcement. Breaking the network is the real objective,” Chennithala said.

According to the minister, Operation Toofan has so far led to 10,015 arrests and 9,280 cases across Kerala.

The operation has also included awareness initiatives, with 9,147 awareness classes conducted across the state.

A further 6,561 programmes have been held through School and College Protection Groups, according to Chennithala.

“Our approach is clear. Where there is crime, we will act without fear or favour. Where there is prejudice, we will answer with facts,” he said.

Chennithala said Operation Toofan would continue across Kerala, with enforcement agencies focusing on evidence, identifying drug sources and dismantling networks involved in the narcotics trade.

“Our goal is not to top arrest charts. Our goal is to make Kerala safer from drugs,” he said.