2,546 New Posts Bolster Tamil Nadu’s Singappen Special Task Force, Announces CM Vijay

Chennai – On Monday, Chief Minister Joseph Vijay took the stage in the assembly and, with a tone that mixed pride and urgency, announced that the Singappen Special Task Force would receive 2,546 brand‑new posts. The force, set up a few years back to protect women and children across Tamil Nadu, is now getting a substantial boost in manpower, vehicles and modern equipment.

Vijay answered a chorus of questions about funding for the Police, Fire and Rescue Services. He said the task force has already been handed 327 four‑wheelers, 109 two‑wheelers and gear worth about Rs 357 crore. “These resources are not just numbers on a sheet,” he told the legislators, “they are tools that will help us stop crime before it happens.”

Since its inception, the Singappen force has logged 268 criminal cases, rescued 125 missing women and children and reunited them with relieved families. It has also staged 37,150 awareness programmes – a figure that sounds huge, but each session is a tiny step toward changing mindsets. The force has managed to prevent 21 child marriages, a modest but meaningful victory in the fight against regressive practices.

Vijay stressed that the government’s aim isn’t merely reactive – it’s about creating an atmosphere where women can step out of their homes without a flicker of fear. “Protecting women and children isn’t a nice‑to‑have; it’s the cornerstone of any thriving society,” he said, noting that law‑and‑order stability is the backbone of industrial investment and overall economic growth.

On the narcotics front, the chief minister revealed that 65 anti‑drug squads are now active across 37 districts and nine commissionerates. So far, they have registered 3,263 cases under anti‑narcotics statutes, arrested 4,350 individuals, seized 4,846 kg of ganja and more than 116,000 narcotic tablets. “Breaking the drug‑trafficking networks and shielding our youth from addiction are top priorities,” Vijay warned, adding that dismantling this entrenched problem will demand sustained effort well beyond the first 100 days of any administration.

Corruption, another thorn in the side of governance, was addressed head‑on. Vijay promised that enforcement agencies will carry out their duties without hesitation, and that no one – regardless of rank or influence – will be spared. “Our resolve against corruption is absolute,” he asserted.

One of the more sensitive topics discussed was the issue of deaths in police custody. The CM pledged a tougher, transparent approach: every such incident will undergo a post‑mortem, a magisterial inquiry and will be reported following the National Human Rights Commission’s guidelines. Police officers found culpable will face the full force of the law, without any institutional shield.

To back up these promises, the government plans to expand CCTV coverage, introduce regular medical examinations, employ technology‑driven monitoring and ramp up professional training. All these measures aim to rebuild public confidence in the police, not just in Chennai but throughout Tamil Nadu.

In short, the CM’s announcements paint a picture of a state moving from merely responding to crimes to proactively preventing them – a shift that, if executed well, could reshape everyday life for millions of women and children.