Vijay unveils Singappen task force; ₹354cr announced, 2,500 personnel for special force

Chennai: Tamil Nadu chief minister C. Joseph Vijay has announced that 2,500 police personnel will be inducted in the Singappen Special Force, a dedicated unit to prevent and respond to crimes against women. He also allocated ₹354 crore for the first phase of the initiative.Launching the Singappen force here on Tuesday, Vijay said the initiative was close to his heart and that women’s safety was a priority of his govt. Reaffirming his govt’s ‘zero-tolerance’ towards crimes against women, he said the special force represented the first step in the govt’s strategy of preventive policing to protect women and children.The chief minister also announced that Tamil Nadu would introduce ‘drone-based patrols’ to support the special force, describing it as the first such initiative in the country for preventing crimes against women. Modern vehicles, advanced equipment, and technological tools will be provided to the force to enhance its operational capabilities.Vijay also said the success of a govt should be measured not merely by economic growth or infrastructure development but by the confidence and security with which women and children live in society.The chief minister said strict action would be taken against those involved in offences against women and warned that the police department would act firmly against such crimes. He added that charge sheets in these cases would be filed expeditiously while ensuring that innocent persons were not wrongly implicated in the interest of speedy trials.Vijay identified the growing drug menace as a major factor contributing to crime and said the govt would intensify efforts to dismantle drug networks and strengthen law and order. He also stressed the need for both collective and individual discipline to create a safe social environment.The Singappen Special Force will focus primarily on preventive policing and address offences such as stalking, sexual harassment, repeated harassment of women, trafficking attempts, and crimes committed in public places and on public transport. The new unit will function alongside the existing women’s safety mechanisms across the state.Addressing the gathering, home secretary K Manivasan expressed confidence that the Singappen Special Force would become a landmark initiative in strengthening the protection of women and children in the state.DGP and head of the police force in the state, Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal, presented the Singappen shield to the chief minister and proposed a vote of thanks.