Shimla, March 14 The Himachal Pradesh Police launched a statewide crackdown on 1,949 shops located near educational institutions, issuing 567 challans for various violations, officials said on Saturday.
During the operation conducted on Friday, police registered five cases under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003, one case under the Excise Act, and issued four challans under the Non-Biodegradable Waste (Control) Act. A total fine of Rs 65,300 was collected under COTPA.
A police spokesperson said in a statement that the drive was a part of an ongoing statewide campaign against "chitta" (adulterated heroin) launched by the Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu last year.
"The search operation was conducted by joint teams of the district police and the Special Task Force (STF). During the inspections, police seized a large quantity of prohibited tobacco products, including cigarettes, tobacco and bidis," the spokesperson said.
The drive aimed to ensure strict compliance with the NDPS Act and COTPA, particularly in areas surrounding schools and colleges. The focus remained on checking shops and vendors near educational institutions to prevent the illegal sale of tobacco and other prohibited items.
According to the spokesperson, the initiative was systematic and intelligence-based, involving inter-district coordination.
"The primary objective is to protect the youth from drug abuse and curb substance abuse activities in isolated areas near educational institutions, which often attract new users," he added.
The police urged the public, especially the youth, to alert authorities regarding "chitta" supply by dialing 112 or contacting the nearest police station, assuring that the identity of the informants will be kept confidential.