Superintendent of Police Vishwesh Balasubramaniam Shastri inspected the check posts close to coastline of the district on Thursday night even as ‘Operation Sagar Kavach’ is going on.After the smuggling of beedi leaves, medicines, pesticides, turmeric, and essential commodities from the porous Thoothukudi coast to Sri Lanka by boat became difficult due to intensified patrolling between Vembar and Periyathazhai, the smugglers are gradually shifting their base to the coastline falling within Tirunelveli boundary by luring the fishermen of the district.Hence, the check posts closer to the Tirunelveli coastline are being strengthened with more police personnel.As the annual exercise for freshening up the coastal security arrangements is going on, Mr. Vishwesh visited the check posts at Koodankulam, Kottapuli and Kavalkinar. After checking the records being maintained at these points on the number of vehicles checked, suspicious movements of vehicles or persons etc., the SP interacted with the police personnel guarding the check posts.He instructed the police personnel manning these check-posts to conduct randomly vehicle check and intensify the exercise during night. Published - July 24, 2026 08:23 pm IST