Khanna police on Friday launched Operation Kawach to help prevent drug abuse among college students across Ludhiana by enabling them to report concerns anonymously and seek support before problems escalate.

Deputy inspector general of police (DIG) Ludhiana Range Sandeep Goel launched the initiative at Gulzar Group of Institutions in Khanna on Friday.

Conceived by Khanna senior superintendent of police SSP Darpan Ahluwalia, the programme combines anonymous reporting with peer support and access to designated civil and police mentors.

Khanna SSP said Operation Kawach is designed to safeguard college students across Ludhiana by focusing on early intervention and peer support.

Addressing the gathering, DIG Sandeep Goel highlighted that illicit drug markets often expand through peer circles, where one user inadvertently draws others in, eventually creating supply chains.

“Operation Kawach seeks to reverse this network effect. Instead of allowing peer groups to become a pathway into substance abuse, Kawach empowers them to act as a protective shield where concerns are identified early and help is accessible long before vulnerability turns into addiction or crime,” the DIG said.

SSP Khanna added that Operation Kawach operates on three interconnected pillars—connect, detect, and protect. Under the ‘connect’ pillar, students are encouraged to form peer groups that develop into support networks. The core principle ensures that no student feels they have to face difficult situations alone, she said, adding that these peer groups will be linked with designated civil and police mentors, creating a trusted support structure between students and the administration.

The ‘detect’ pillar gives students a safe voice through a distinctive feature called ‘Kawach QR Codes’. Students can scan these codes to communicate anonymously under three options: ‘I need help’ for personal difficulties; ‘I am worried about someone’ if concerned about a friend or peer; and ‘I want to report something’ to flag suspected drug activity, harassment, unsafe surroundings, or other concerns. The third pillar, ‘protect’, focuses on ensuring timely support and intervention. Once information is received via the Kawach mechanism, it is channelled for appropriate response through the designated civil and police mentors.

“A student may hesitate to walk into a police station, but they will readily scan a QR code to seek help or flag an issue anonymously. The core objective of Operation Kawach is simple: before drugs can reach a student, Kawach must reach them first,” said the SSP.