Eight women police officers from Mumbai Police’s Zone VII are leading a campaign to make school and college campuses tobacco-free—in the process, transforming local businesses by helping 24 shop owners transition to selling fresh vegetables, stationery and eatables, ensuring they don’t lose their livelihood. Under the drive, launched in January, 47 tobacco-selling shops operating within a 100-metre radius of schools have been shut down.

The campaign, run by Nirbhaya Squad officers from Ghatkopar, Pant Nagar, Vikhroli, Parksite, Bhandup, Kanjurmarg, Mulund, and Navghar police stations, also includes awareness programmes for school staff and students to reinforce a tobacco-free environment. The officers involved are PSI Tai Dongre from Ghatkopar, PSI Sonali Pawar from Pant Nagar, PSI Vinaya Tawde from Vikhroli, PSI Smita Bhise from Parksite, PSI Savita Jadhav from Bhandup, PSI Shital Babar from Kanjurmarg, PSI Pooja Dhaktode from Mulund and PSI Dhanshree Kadam from Navghar police station.