EAGLE head and IGP Ake Ravi Krishna and Deputy Commissioner of Police K.G.V. Saritha having a look at the gutkha products displayed in front of a paan shop during a surprise raid in Vijayawada recently.
| Photo Credit: RAJULAPUDI SRINIVAS
Recent searches on paan shops and other establishments by Elite Anti-Narcotics Group for Law Enforcement (EAGLE) and the NTR commissionerate of police laid bare the poor implementation of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COPTA-2003).
Special teams led by EAGLE head and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ake Ravi Krishna and Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP-NTR) K.G.V. Saritha and other police officers searched shops near education institutions on Pinnamaneni Polyclinic Road near Benz Circle a few days ago and seized different brands of cigarettes, gutkha packets and tobacco products. These shops were located near a pharma college, a hotel management institute, a degree college and a couple of schools.
“We have booked the shop owners and explained to them COPTA–2003 and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985,” Mr. Ravi Krishna said. EAGLE officials noticed a secret room attached to a paan shop and found students smoking in it.
Locals alleged that despite several complaints on the sale of banned gutkha products and cigarettes at paan shops near educational institutions, there was no response. “Some shop owners sold cigarettes and tobacco products to schoolchildren and maintained secret rooms,” Sriram, a youth, told the EAGLE team.
Meanwhile, Director-General of Police (DGP) Harish Kumar Gupta directed the police to conduct searches and prevent the sale of tobacco products, gutkhas and cigarettes within 100 yards of educational institutions.
“The joint raids were aimed at implementing the guidelines of Tobacco Free Education Institutions (TOFEI) and prevent the sale of narcotic drugs. cigarettes, gutkha and tobacco products,” the DGP said.
Published – August 10, 2025 11:11 pm IST
