Bengaluru city police on Thursday launched simultaneous raids on the houses of rowdy sheeters and carried out an area domination exercise to keep a check on law and order across the city.
The drive was carried out jointly by the Central, South, and Southeast Division police, under the leadership of Deputy Commissioners of Police Akshay Hakay Machhindra, Mohammad Sujeetha, and Kona Vamsi Krishna. Nearly 416 police personnel were deployed for the operation.
During the drive, the police raided the houses of 154 rowdy sheeters, mainly in areas falling under the jurisdiction of the Ashok Nagar, Vivek Nagar, Madiwala, Adugodi, Siddapura, and Halasur Gate police stations, among others.
In addition, 16 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act were booked against consumers, while the police also checked nine repeat offenders involved in peddling. During the operation, 179 petty cases and 171 cases under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) were also booked.
A total of 165 vehicles, including 14 autorickshaws, were seized for various violations. About 27 cases were also booked under the Motor Vehicles Act. In addition, four non-bailable warrants were executed.
The police also interacted with citizens, pedestrians, and women to gather ground-level intelligence. Separate reports will be prepared based on these interactions, and special drives and raids will be conducted to address the concerns raised by the public.
Explaining the joint operation, a Deputy Commissioner of Police involved in the raids told The Hindu that rowdy sheeters often escape to different parts of the city and its outskirts during such operations, creating loopholes. This time, however, the police prepared a list of the rowdy sheeters and studied their possible links before launching the raids, enabling them to plug those gaps.
The action against rowdy sheeters and repeat offenders followed the directions issued by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar after assuming office. Police sources said such follow-up raids and drives would be conducted frequently henceforth.
Published - July 10, 2026 07:24 pm IST