‘Singappen’: Vijay launches specialised force for women’s safety with Rs 354-crore allocation, drone surveillance

4 min readChennaiUpdated: Jun 9, 2026 10:28 PM IST

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay addresses the inauguration of a special police unit, 'Singappen,' to provide enhanced safety to women, in Chennai, Tuesday. (PTI)

A month after coming to power in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Tuesday unveiled a specialised women’s safety force that he described as both a law-enforcement initiative and a moral commitment, placing one of the state’s most contentious election issues at the centre of his young administration.

At a ceremony at Chennai’s Rajarathinam Stadium, Vijay formally launched the Singappen Special Force, a new policing unit dedicated exclusively to preventing crimes against women and girls. The force, backed by an initial allocation of more than Rs 354 crore, is expected to operate alongside existing law-enforcement mechanisms while focusing on preventive policing, rapid response and field surveillance.

The launch carries significance beyond policing. Throughout the recent Assembly election campaign, Opposition parties, civil society and victims’ families repeatedly raised concerns over crimes against women and the spread of narcotics, issues that became persistent points of criticism against the previous DMK government. Vijay had promised during the campaign that his administration would adopt a “zero tolerance” approach toward both.

On Tuesday, he sought to draw a direct connection between the two. “When we analyse why these problems occur, wherever you look, it ultimately stops at one point — the circulation of narcotic substances,” Vijay said. “That must be uprooted completely.”

Without directly naming the previous government, he suggested that the problem had been allowed to deepen over many years because it had not received sufficient attention.

“This problem did not suddenly emerge on May 10,” he said, referring to the day his government assumed office. “Its roots spread because it was ignored for years.”

The new force will focus on preventing stalking, sexual harassment, repeated targeting of women, attempted abductions and harassment in buses and public spaces. Officials said it would also receive complaints related to women’s safety and coordinate rescue operations and awareness programmes with government departments and non-governmental organisations.

Story continues below this ad

Among the programme’s most notable features is the introduction of what the government described as India’s first drone-based patrol system dedicated to preventing crimes against women. The administration also announced plans to create 2,500 additional posts in the second phase of the project and equip the force with specialised vehicles, surveillance technology and modern policing equipment.

Vijay used the occasion to deliver one of his strongest warnings yet on law and order. “Whoever disturbs the safety of women will not be tolerated under any circumstances,” he said, promising swift filing of charge sheets and stringent punishment for offenders while cautioning police officers against implicating innocent people in their efforts to accelerate investigations.

Broader push

The launch is part of a broader law-and-order push that has marked Vijay’s first month in office. Within hours of assuming power in May, he chaired a high-level review meeting with senior police and administrative officials, placing women’s security, narcotics enforcement and public order among the government’s immediate priorities.

The administration is also preparing to expand the state’s anti-narcotics apparatus through additional Anti-Narcotic Task Force stations, signalling an aggressive campaign against drug trafficking networks.

Story continues below this ad

For Vijay, whose government is still defining itself after a historic electoral victory, the Singappen Force represents more than a policing initiative. “The true measure of a government’s success,” he told the gathering, “is whether the women and children of the state are able to live with dignity and respect.”

© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd

Arun Janardhanan is an experienced and authoritative Tamil Nadu correspondent for The Indian Express. Based in the state, his reporting combines ground-level access with long-form clarity, offering readers a nuanced understanding of South India’s political, judicial, and cultural life - work that reflects both depth of expertise and sustained authority.

Expertise

Geographic Focus: As Tamil Nadu Correspondent focused on politics, crime, faith and disputes, Janardhanan has been also reporting extensively on Sri Lanka, producing a decade-long body of work on its elections, governance, and the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings through detailed stories and interviews.

Key Coverage Areas:

State Politics and Governance: Close reporting on the DMK and AIADMK, the emergence of new political actors such as actor Vijay’s TVK, internal party churn, Centre–State tensions, and the role of the Governor.

Legal and Judicial Affairs: Consistent coverage of the Madras High Court, including religion-linked disputes and cases involving state authority and civil liberties.

Investigations: Deep-dive series on landmark cases and unresolved questions, including the Tirupati encounter and the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, alongside multiple investigative series from Tamil Nadu.

Culture, Society, and Crisis: Reporting on cultural organisations, language debates, and disaster coverage—from cyclones to prolonged monsoon emergencies—anchored in on-the-ground detail.

His reporting has been recognised with the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism.

Beyond journalism, Janardhanan is also a screenwriter; his Malayalam feature film Aarkkariyam was released in 2021. ... Read More