Tamil Nadu launches Singappen Special Force with drone patrols to combat crimes against women
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay inaugurated the Singappen Special Force on June 9, 2026, a dedicated women's safety unit backed by over ₹354 crore in first-phase funding. The force, headed by Inspector-General of Police K. Bhavaneeswari, will deploy drone-based patrols — described as a first in India — and focus on crime-prone areas frequented by women. The launch fulfills a key campaign promise by Vijay's TVK party and signals a major expansion of preventive policing for women's safety across the state.
Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay formally launched the Singappen Special Force at Rajarathinam Stadium in Chennai's Egmore district, unveiling the force's official monogram and inspecting a parade led by commander Shahnaz Iliyas. The government has allocated ₹354 crore for the initiative's first phase, with 2,500 new posts to be created in a second phase alongside modern vehicles, technological equipment, and drone patrols. Vijay linked crimes against women directly to the spread of narcotics, arguing the drug problem had been neglected for years, in remarks widely interpreted as a veiled criticism of the previous DMK administration. The force will handle stalking, sexual harassment, trafficking, and public-space harassment, freeing existing all-women police stations to concentrate on investigations and securing convictions. Vijay emphasized that while punishment for offenders would be severe, police must ensure no innocent person is wrongly implicated. The launch was not without controversy: the DMK criticized the event after the police band performed songs from Vijay's own films, calling it an inappropriate use of government machinery for personal image-building.
What's missing
No details are provided on how the force's effectiveness will be measured or what oversight mechanisms exist.
How coverage differed
NDTV explicitly framed Vijay's remarks on drug abuse as 'an apparent attack on the previous DMK government' and gave prominent space to the DMK's political criticism of the event, while The Hindu and Times of India reported the same remarks without that adversarial framing and gave less prominence to the political controversy.
What different sources said
- The HinduCenter
Law and Order: AI-based traffic violation detection system debuts in Kanniyakumari
- Times of IndiaCenter
TN CM Vijay launches Special Force, says drones will be used to prevent crimes against women
- NDTVCenter
"Punishment Will Be Severe": Vijay Unveils Special Women's Safety Force
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