Central Zone police arrested 34 persons during a two-day special crackdown against habitual offenders, rowdies and ganja peddlers across nine districts on 8 and 9 November 2026 ahead of Deepavali.[1][2] The drive was conducted as a preventive crime measure ahead of the festival and aimed to execute pending non-bailable warrants against absconding offenders.[1] In Perambalur district, police arrested two individuals allegedly involved in ganja peddling.[1][2] The two ganja offenders in Perambalur district were arrested and placed in jail.[3]

Across the nine districts, police inspected 608 habitual offenders, searched 693 houses and conducted vehicle checks at 368 locations.[1][2] Officers registered 32 cases across the zone, including four cases in Perambalur, eight in Pudukkottai and seven in Tiruchi.[1][2] From the arrested individuals, police confiscated one car, three two-wheelers, four knives, nine sickles, a cricket bat and a wooden club.[3][2]

The Inspector-General of Police for Central Zone directed district superintendents across all nine jurisdictions to sustain intensive surveillance on habitual offenders and absconders.[1]