Ludhiana, May 7 -- In a targeted effort to curb the illegal sale of tobacco products and e-cigarettes near educational institutions, Ludhiana police commissionerate lodged six FIRs on Tuesday against shopkeepers violating the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003. The Act prohibits the sale of tobacco products in proximity to educational zones.

On Tuesday afternoon, the police conducted a special enforcement drive aimed at protecting the health of students and upholding legal restrictions. The police teams raided eight locations, seizing a large quantity of illicit items such as hookahs, e-cigarettes, smoking pipes, chimneys and flavoured tobacco packets.

The raids were conducted in areas around schools and colleges, i...