Tirupati: Tirupati police are increasingly relying on drone technology to monitor illegal activities across the district, using aerial surveillance to target crime hotspots, gather real-time intelligence, and respond quickly to incidents. This tech-driven approach has already started to show results, with a recent case serving as a clear example.

Earlier this week, drone footage helped police track down four youths who were caught smoking ganja inside an abandoned bungalow under the Tiruchanur police station limits.

The drone team, operating under a daily surveillance, was scanning derelict structures when the activity was spotted.

Acting swiftly on the live feed, a five-member special party and Eagle Team unit reached the site and apprehended the suspects before they could escape. Ganja packets were recovered from the location, and the individuals were handed over to local authorities for further investigation.

Speaking at a public event recently, SP V Harshavardhan Raju stressed the importance of staying away from drugs and reminded the public that what begins as casual use often ends in addiction. He urged citizens to make use of the state government’s anonymous helpline (1972) to report drug-related activities and assured that all information would be kept confidential.

The police also released crime data for the month of June on Wednesday, highlighting an aggressive enforcement campaign. Nearly 18 kilograms of ganja was seized and several hotspots were identified as part of the anti-narcotics drive. Drones alone conducted 94 surveillance sorties, mostly targeting secluded and abandoned areas.

In addition to drug-related cases, 1,687 people were booked for public drinking, and ten notorious locations were cleared. Police also provided counselling to 314 individuals with a history of repeated offenses.

Road safety enforcement was intensified, with 297 drunk driving cases registered and 1,696 petty vendors penalised for obstructing roadways.

Police reported 14,899 vehicle-related violations in June, with fines imposed accordingly.

Thirteen cordon and search operations were carried out during the month, covering 905 houses and 716 vehicles. Police seized 178 vehicles found without proper documents.

Special attention was given to senior citizens, with police personally interacting with over 15,000 elders in public parks to listen to their concerns and offer support. Educational outreach programmes on cybercrime, loan app scams, helmet safety, and new criminal laws were also conducted in urban and rural areas.